DERBY, N.Y. (WKBW) — There is an exciting development at Sturgeon Point in Derby. A collaborative effort is underway to install an inclusive wheelchair ramp that will make Lake Erie accessible to everyone, regardless of mobility challenges.
This initiative represents a significant step forward in ensuring our Erie County shoreline is enjoyed by all community members, including the more than 120,000 Erie County residents living with disabilities.
The project is the result of a partnership between Wheelchairs and Walleyes, Western New York Walleyes, and the Town of Evans, working together to create equal access to our region's natural resources.
"We're working with them and going through a landscape architect to be able to find out the right location. They're in the middle of that process on a major redesign of the marina," said Jeff Gooss, co-founder of Wheelchairs and Walleyes.
Jeff and Jennifer Gooss, founders of the organization, traveled from North Dakota to assist local fishing enthusiasts in the planning stages and eventually install a specialized ramp. The concrete structure will be positioned off the water and include a large platform at the top.
"And on top of that platform is going to have the equipment, and the reason why we do that is because we want the user to be able to do it without fear of falling in the water," Gooss said.
While the project comes with an approximate price tag of $150,000, it will be entirely free to the community and will not require taxpayer dollars, the couple said.
"So from a game changer standpoint, what it does is it gives people who have maybe never been able to fish or get on the boat ever in their life, it gives them the ability to enjoy this," Gooss said.
According to the CDC, 12.2% of adults in the U.S. have a mobility challenge. In Erie County, those who have difficulty walking or climbing stairs represent the largest category of disability types, according to the Erie County Health Department.
"What's exciting about this is getting the Town of Evans and the Sturgeon Point Marina on board with us and helping us bring this plan to fruition," said Jeff Kucinsky, founder and board member of Western New York Walleye.
Kucinsky hopes this will be just the beginning of inclusive access points along Lake Erie's approximately 870-mile shoreline.
"Bringing this accessibility to the lake to our community and making sure that everybody has the opportunity to get out in the water and enjoy this fishery," Kucinsky said.
The next steps for this collaboration include seeking donors and volunteers to build momentum for the project. The concrete ramp is scheduled to be installed in the spring of 2026.
