The second floor of the Watford Legion will soon be accessible again.

Legion members heard the news the federal government approved a $100,000 grant for accessibility improvements in September. It marked the occasion Saturday with MP Liane Rood.

President Tony Plaus says the stair lift which made the second floor room accessible has been broken for some time. The Legion applied for a grant, but didn’t get one.
It wasn’t an urgent matter during the pandemic because the legion couldn’t rent out the building during many of the restrictions.

But recently, the organization heard it was eligible to apply for a second time. This time the money was quickly approved.

Now Plaus is working with contractors to figure out how and when the work will be completed.

The new stair lift is only one of the items which will be improved to meet today’s accessibility standards. Plaus says the washrooms will be accessible and doors will be widened. Main entrance will also be improved.

It’s the latest in the long line of improvements the legion has made to the building which used to be the Ford dealership, including a major kitchen upgrade, a new security system and flag poles outside the legion.

Plaus is hopeful the renovations will begin in January, but it will depend on contractors and whether they can get the supplies needed to complete the job.