Holyoke Disability Commission Unanimously Approves Long-Awaited Accessibility Survey

HOLYOKE -- March 26, 2026, Holyoke's Commission on Disability unanimously approved a 17-question resident accessibility survey and received a presentation on the city's state-funded climate resilience planning process at its March 26 meeting. The five-to-zero vote launches a project roughly three and a half years in the making, with the commission targeting an April distribution through print, Survey Monkey, and a Spanish translation to be completed by translator Natalie Valencia. Yoni Glogar, the city's director of conservation and sustainability, described Holyoke's participation in the state's Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness MVP 2.0 program, which carries a $50,000 seed grant for a community-identified project; commissioners pressed Glogar to add accessibility language to all event flyers and housing references in planning documents. On transportation, member Marlene reported that the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority does not expect to deliver a lift-accessible van to the Holyoke Senior Center until June 2027, and that a proposed interim pilot with private operator Humes Transportation failed to gain traction because a one-year funding commitment was insufficient to prompt the company to hire staff.