Pictures of Current Safety Issues

Young families have to walk through busy parking lot with moving vehicles

Children’s fire exit leads into parking lot

Exits out of Hardy Hall are steep, narrow, dangerous and fill with ice and snow

Entrance into Hardy Hall is a bottleneck

Administrative staff has no visibility to see who is entering building during the week

List of Safety Issues Addressed With Proposed Plans

  • Exit and staircase going directly from back east side of Sanctuary to Hardy Hall as for an additional emergency exit from Sanctuary
  • Drop-off half-circle driveway to reduce need to walk through busy parking lot and all for closer drop-off for those that are handicapped or have mobility issues
  • One main entry so Administrative staff have visibility to everyone entering the church during the weekdays.
  • Nursery moved upstairs, closer to their parents
  • All exits out of Hardy Hall are to grade; no stairs as emergency exits.
  • Corridor and entryway into Hardy Hall widened to eliminate bottleneck.

Plans Showing Proposed Changes to Address Safety Issues

Hardy Hall to Grade
(No Stairwell Exits)

Click Image

Drop-Off Driveway
(Avoid walking through parking lot)

Click Image

Quotes

Charles Lewis

Being able to drive up as a family and drop your kids off without having to pull into the current parking lot and then walk across a busy parking area where other cars are dropping off would be a very safe change to the flow of Sunday mornings.

Ann Siglin

The exits and steps at both sides of Hardy Hall are very dangerous. If we had handicapped people [in Hardy Hall] there is no way we could get them out quickly in case of an emergency.

Deb Blannin

With the new renovations we make it easier for people to get in and out of the sanctuary.

Dot Hyde

We should fix downstairs. The Hardy Hall entrance is a nightmare.  It is not safe.

Fire Chief Rick Towne

Right now, Hardy Hall is below grade and doesn’t meet code for egress.  By opening up the east wall, it brings it to grade and avoids the costly sprinkler system that would have to be put in if you were to going to keep it below grade. It will meet fire code and life safety code and it will accommodate all the church and community events that assemble in Hardy Hall.

Eileen Widner

For the past 20 years that I have worked in the office, I have never known who is coming in and out of church. It is a safety and building security issue.  By adding the lobby and having the office staff be in a place where we can see everyone coming, we know who is coming in and out of the church.

Pat Harris

It’s always bothered me that the nursery has been downstairs.  In an emergency it would be very difficult to get those children out safely.

Eileen Widner

The two exterior stairwells currently serve as emergency exits from Hardy Hall – but they are a safety hazard.  The stairs are steep, uneven, shallow, and not easy to navigate. 

Videos

Watch video of congregants and Fire Chief talking about SAFETY issues and how proposed renovations address them

Watch video talking specifically about Hardy Hall emergency exit issues