Be a Partner: Citywide Accessibility Rollout Information Meeting

Must register on this page to attend.

The City of Peachtree Corners is participating in the launch of a Citywide Accessibility Rollout to help residents and visitors better access information in public spaces and local businesses, beginning with enhanced support for the blind and visually impaired community. This smart city initiative is being implemented in partnership with SpartansFirst and Hear2There.

You are invited to attend a focused and engaging session hosted by SpartansFirst and Hear2There at Peachtree Corners City Hall on March 12. Please arrive at 2:00 PM for registration, refreshments, and networking. The program will begin promptly at 2:30 PM.

This citywide launch is being provided to companies free of charge for 30 months and is being funded through a generous donation from SpartansFirst.  Following the 30-month program, companies may opt to continue with the program on a fee basis or may choose to end their participation.

This citywide program will be the first of its kind, and Peachtree Corners is honored to be a part of this project.

I will welcome attendees on behalf of the City of Peachtree Corners and introduce Dennis C. Hayes, Founder and Chairman of Hayes Microcomputer Products, which for many years was headquartered in Technology Park.

Hayes Microcomputer Products created the Hayes Smartmodem and the Hayes standard AT command set technology, widely credited with creating the on-ramp to the Information Superhighway. During the 1980s and 1990s, its market-leading dial-up modem technology worked with Apple computers, IBM-compatible systems, and virtually every major personal computer platform of the era while the company was based in Peachtree Corners.

Following this introduction, Dennis Hayes will describe how SpartansFirst is helping bring the Hear2There service to Peachtree Corners as part of this generous 30-month free introductory, citywide rollout. This initiative enables participating venues to implement smart, virtual signage that welcomes visually impaired individuals while providing convenient, on-demand information to all visitors. The service is always free to the end user.

Chris Webb, Chief Technology Officer of Hear2There and developer of the system, will present how the technology works, how it can be installed at your location, and how it enhances accessibility, customer engagement, and inclusion.

Following Chris Webb’s presentation, there will be a panel discussion featuring Dennis Hayes, David Furukawa, Chief Experience Officer and Co-founder of Hear2There, Jinny Fairley, retired ADA Coordinator for Newton, Massachusetts, and Ole Cantos, Mayor Pro Tem, City of West Covina, California. All panel participants are blind and have experienced vision loss during their lifetime. They will answer questions and discuss firsthand how this technology benefits the user, the venue, and the broader community. The presentation will last about 45 to 50 minutes.

Following the panel, attendees will have the opportunity to speak directly with representatives from SpartansFirst and Hear2There about their venue and how to participate in the rollout.

Several early adopters are already participating, including City Hall, The Forum, Peachtree Corners Library, YMCA, Hilton, and Mary Our Queen Catholic Church.

We hope you will join us to learn how your organization can become part of this innovative, citywide accessibility initiative.

Seating will be limited to 130, so RSVP to let us know if you will attend.