06/17/2026
The Village of Newark is excited to announce that it is taking part in an Accessibility Education Program through Rochester Accessible Adventures, sponsored by New York Power Authority and New York State Canal Corporation.
A Core Team has been formed including Village of Newark Mayor Jonathan Taylor, The Arc Wayne Foundation Director Dave Johnson, Newark Community Member Tara LaMagna, WFL BOCES Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Lisa Meade, Newark School District Teacher Jeff Garrett, Wayne County Tourism Director Christine Worth, Alex Eligh Community Center Director Braxton Guy, and Village of Newark Economic Development Facilitator Robbin Bremer.
Rochester Accessible Adventures is in the process of educating the Core team on how to remove existing barriers to participation by people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities and medical conditions. The Core Team has collectively participated in over 105 hours of training, have started an assessment of their current operations and services, and have created a Strategic Inclusion Action Plan to guide their work. The process will include evaluation of community events and recreation sites, provision of accessibility information on the Village website, and the designation of a point of contact for Village accessibility questions.
“Beginning this journey of inclusion marks a major step forward for the Village of Newark,” stated Mayor Jonathan Taylor. “Rochester Accessible Adventures has been helping us highlight barriers to participation by persons with disabilities. We can use what we are learning to make projects like the Health and Wellness Center and Port of Newark more accessible and welcoming. We want to make sure that everyone can enjoy outings with family and friends in the Village of Newark.”
“This is a tremendous opportunity,” says Christine Worth, Wayne County Tourism Director. “When we create communities that promote inclusive social connections and participation in all that our towns and villages have to offer, we know that we are creating not only great places to live, but also great places for the entire family to visit and spend time. No one gets left behind and all are invited to dine, shop, and play every day we are open for business.”
New York Power Authority and NYS Canal Corporation support the development of inclusive recreation and tourism opportunities along the canal corridor, and are supporting the education of businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities from Buffalo to Schuylerville. The Accessibility Education Program sets in motion a progression of evaluation, planning, and implementation of principles of inclusion and accessibility. The Village of Newark inclusion team welcomes the community to join in their efforts by providing input, becoming advocates, and by participating in inclusion education.
