Two local organizations are expanding on a years-long citywide trend to make Toledo one of the most disability-friendly cities in the nation.

Before the Arts Commission began to create a story map of the different pieces in the city of Toledo’s public art collection, it took a step back and asked whether there was a way to make each piece accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities, said Nathan Mattimoe, director of Art in Public Places at the Arts Commission.

The commission decided to connect with the Ability Center to learn what the gaps are when someone with disabilities interacts with public art compared with those without physical disabilities, said Ash Lemons, associate director of the center.

The two organizations joined forces to bridge those gaps by conducting an accessibility audit of 32 of the 50 public art pieces owned by the city over the next few weeks. The audit will assess some of the disparities that exist for visitors.

“If there’s a sculpture like City Candy that stands on the upper sidewalk down to the lower section of the Vistula parking garage, what’s the best way to access that sculpture to experience that?” Mr. Mattimoe said. “Are there sculptures that are creating barriers? Are they blocking sidewalks? Are they creating potential issues for folks that have impairments where they may run into something?”

The audit, which will focus on downtown Toledo because of the large concentration of public art pieces, will assess how to enhance the city’s infrastructure around these different art sites and, if adjustments can’t be made, how residents can best experience the art.

Mr. Lemons, who is conducting the audit, will assess each of the 32 sites before submitting his recommendations to the Arts Commission.

“My piece is just identifying where the barriers exist and recommendations on how you could overcome them, so that the outdoor exhibits would be more accessible to all people,” he said. “Then the Arts Commission will take the surveys that I provide and have to make a decision about how much of it they implement.”

The effort is the result of a $13,000 disruptive grant from the Ohio Arts Council, which is a grant category that focuses on innovative ways to expand access and understanding of public art, said Ben Cook, public art manager for the Art in Public Places program at the art commission.

The 32 sites include The Guardian, Vortex VI, Viet Nam Peace Arch - Memorial and Plaza, Perspective Arcade, Revitalization of Man, Eternal Flame, President William McKinley, Switchback, Tragic Mask, Seasons, City Candy, Radiance, Propylaea, Art Tatum Celebration Column, Kabuki Dancer, Upon Reflection, The Family, ECHO, Tower of Light, Sun Obelisk, Blue Lupine, I Got It!, Who’s Up?, Main Entry Gates, manhole covers, Major Ritual, Swan Waves, Toledo Rise, Watercourse, Artifacts of Childhood, Silence and Rust, and the Anthony Wayne Bridge Lighting Project.

Completing every site is certainly on the horizon, Mr. Cook said, but those will just be more standalone assessments for the most part.

First Published September 9, 2024, 6:28 p.m.