GENEROSITY Church Bathurst is the sole recipient of a Bathurst Access Improvement for Small Business grant, which will enable it to make its building even more accessible.
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The grant scheme is a joint effort between Bathurst Regional Council and the Bathurst Regional Access Committee (BRAC) to help small businesses make their properties accessible for people with disabilities.
Businesses can apply for funding of either 50 per cent of project costs or up to a maximum of $5,000 on a dollar for dollar basis.
The latest round of the program, in which $15,000 was available, attracted just one application, from Generosity Church.
The church was seeking funds to install an accessible external door, upgraded entrance ramp and extension to a paved access entrance.
BRAC considered the application and was pleased to recommend that they receive $4375, which equates to 50 per cent of the project costs.
Caleb Dwyer, the pastor of Generosity Church, said the project was about making the building as accessible as possible.
"We have Café on Corporation operate out of our premises here, which is particularly designed to help provide employment for people with disabilities, so we want to make sure everything in our facility is properly set up for disabled access and takes that portion of our community into consideration," he said.
With the grant, Generosity Church can proceed with its plans to install an accessible door on a front-facing training room, a space that is hired out several times a week.
"The guys with disabilities and wheelchairs can get in there, but they've got to go around to a few different rooms," Mr Dwyer said.
"We wanted to change that up so they have direct access from the outside, just to honour and respect them and make sure the building in its entirety, not just the café, reflected our desire to really help that sector of the community feel included."
Projects like this take a lot of money that many small businesses and community groups just don't have.
The grant program makes it easier for businesses to improve access and the church is grateful to have had its application approved.
"To have that additional 50-50 investment makes it possible for us to really do what I think all organisations should be trying to do and be considerate, so we are very thankful," Mr Dwyer said.
With just one recipient from the program, there is about $10,000 left in the allocation.
BRAC has recommended that council use the money to purchase mobile access ramps that could be utilised by small businesses on a casual temporary basis.