Vermont Fish & Wildlife Upgrading Fishing Access Areas

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Upgrading Fishing Access Areas

Department Focusing on ADA Accessibility Improvements

 

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Upgrading Fishing Access AreasThe Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is over halfway to completion on a series of fishing access area improvement projects designed to enhance accessibility for anglers and boaters, including those with disabilities.

“We’re working on various improvements to a number of fishing access areas across the state, all with the common goal of making the areas more user-friendly for all boaters and anglers,” said Mike Wichrowski, lands and facilities administrator with Vermont Fish & Wildlife. “One key component of the projects is ADA accessibility, including improved docks, access paths and parking spaces.”

This summer, eight new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant docks have been installed at fishing access areas in Rutland, Newport, Orleans, Addison and Essex counties.

New docks can be found at Lake St. Catherine in Wells, Whipple Point and South Bay on Lake Memphremagog in Newport, Seymour Lake in Morgan, Crystal Lake in Barton, Island Pond in Brighton, Larrabee’s Point on Lake Champlain in Shoreham, and Benson Landing on Lake Champlain in Benson.

Additional access area upgrades are planned for next summer at Marshfield Reservoir in Cabot, Big Salem Lake in Derby, Chimney Point on Lake Champlain in Addison, and Lake Dunmore in Salisbury. Improvements will include ADA access paths and paved parking areas.

“We are always working to bring more access areas into alignment with the 2010 ADA standards for accessible design, and are proud to offer the public over 20 sites across the state that meet those requirements,” Wichrowski said.

In total, Vermont Fish & Wildlife maintains more than 180 developed fishing access areas that are open to the public, free of charge, year-round.

To find a fishing access area or learn more about Vermont’s access area program, visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com. For a complete listing of current ADA accessible access areas, use the “advanced search” option found on the fishing access areas page, and select the “universal access” filter.

Anyone with questions about Vermont’s fishing access areas may contact Mike Wichrowski at 802-917-1347.