The Kinton Grange Accessibility Project

In November 2006, just a few days after the Turkey Dinner, a friend who is also the daughter of some elderly Grange members, called me to discuss Accessibility plans for the Grange Hall. I told her we had discussed the topic (again) at our November Meeting just a couple of days earlier. She then offered $10,000 to get a project started, and has since provided the Grange with a formal letter of intent, and a check for that amount.

A Fund Established

At the December meeting, the grange members voted to “Establish and Support a Capital Improvement Fund to Make the Kinton Grange Wheelchair Accessible.” Members also voted to involve the State Grange Foundation.

State Grange Foundation Involvement

The State Grange has established a foundation that can help us in two significant ways. Donations made through this foundation are tax deductible, and they can assist us in writing grants. Unlike the Kinton Grange, the Oregon State Grange Foundation is a 501 c 3 organization.

The Project -- Kinton Grange Accessibility, January 30, 2007

This project seeks to make the Kinton Grange Hall accessible to community members who use wheelchairs and walkers by installing a 3-level motorized lift, and adding an accessible restroom. Currently there is no ground level access to either floor of our building: the main hall is 4.5 feet above ground level, the dining room and kitchen is 3.5 feet below.

Our hall was built in 1917 and is an important community landmark and resource. It is the last functional historic building in the town of Kinton and we take pride in maintaining our building and its grounds.

Next door is a decrepit school house from the 19th Century which is in private ownership. This neglected building will soon fall down and be gone. Since it is our goal to maintain the historic character of our Grange hall, and since a structure of some sort is needed to enclose the lift (which needs to be in the front of the building) we have incorporated into our design a replica of this school's bell tower. In this way we can preserve a little of our local history as well as address the present and future needs of the community.

A composite showing the Grange Hall's facade when the project is finished.

Several designs were discussed. The design with the least changes to our present exterior, the least re-arrangement of our current interior, and voted most attractive, and most user-friendly by professional designers, places a shaft for the lift alongside the foyer. There was once an outside stairway for this east entrance. (See our historic photos.) The lift will be housed in a tower which echos the belltower on the old Kinton Schoolhouse next door.

This image is a gift from Bebop Graphics, and is one of many in-kind donations we have been receiving from our supportive community!

A plan view of the upperfloor (Front of building only.) The lift tower is highlited in pink. The new deck and stairway to the handicapped parking will tuck in behind the lift tower.

A plan view of the south end of the basement The lift is outlined in pink. A new basement alcove room will be excavated to accomodate entry into the lift.

There is no evidence that wires, pipes, or old the septic tank will interfere significantly.