Parade Viewing Area Set Aside For Seniors

CHATHAM – For many seniors, especially those with mobility issues, getting downtown to watch the Independence Day parade can be a challenge. A lot of walking can be involved, and it may be difficult to find an unobstructed viewing spot that is also accessible.

 For this July 4, a special viewing area is being set aside for those who need a cane, walker or wheelchair or who otherwise have difficulty getting to the parade. The front section of the department of public works on Crowell Road will be set aside for as many as 20 people to sit and watch the procession.

 “I think a lot of people would like to see the parade, but can’t do much because they have a walker or wheelchair,” said Joan Bagnell, a member of the council on aging board who is organizing the viewing area.

 People interested in utilizing the viewing area must sign up and provide their own transportation to the location, Bagnell said. She’s already had a half a dozen calls as of this weekend, including from a 96-year-old World War II veteran.

 “This is exactly who this was meant for,” she said.

 The viewing area is among several changes to this year’s Independence Day parade, which marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The parade will begin a half hour earlier, at 9 a.m., and vehicles will no longer be allowed to park along one side of Main Street as has been the case in the past. The route will remain as it has been for the past several years, beginning at the intersection of Main Street and Shore Road, proceeding down Main Street to Crowell Road, and ending at Crowell Road and Lake Street.

 Chatham Police Lt. Sarah Harris said the area between the DPW parking area and the sidewalk along Crowell Road will provide an unobstructed view of the parade. She urged those dropping people off to do so between 8 and 8:30 a.m.

 “There’s plenty of room,” she said of the viewing area. “There’s plenty of shade.”

 While getting downtown to view the parade can be a challenge — traffic can be thick and access is cut off along the parade route prior to the start — finding a spot can also be difficult. In many places along Main Street the crowd can be several layers deep, and for those who can’t stand for long periods of time, prime front-row spots for chairs are often reserved hours in advance.

 Bagnell, who at 94 still works at the polls at each town election, said she initially thought the community center would be a good spot for the reserved area. “But they’re about five deep there,” she said of the parade crowds, and police discouraged that location because of the difficulty getting vehicles in and out on the holiday.

 Bagnell initially hoped the council on aging could provide transportation, but because the Center for Active Living on Stony Hill Road is closing to prepare for renovations, that won’t be possible. Therefore folks who want to register to secure a spot in the viewing area should call her at 508-945-1886. Transportation assistance may be available if needed. She added that people must bring their own chairs and should also bring water. She hopes to have volunteers at the DPW to help the morning of the parade.

 “I think this is going to be a good one,” she said of the event.