SHARPSVILLE — If initial reactions are any indication, it’s unlikely Sharpsville council will chip in to fix an uneven ramp in the middle of the sidewalk near Pierce Opera House.

Opera house owner Dr. Francisco Cano asked Borough Manager Ken Robertson if there was anything the borough could do to help fix the sidewalk on Mercer Avenue. Robertson told council members about Cano’s request last month.

And it quickly went sour.

Mayor Alex Kovach scoffed that the request for help came because former Borough Manager Mike Wilson, the man who bought, renovated and then sold the opera house, “didn’t put (the ramp) in right.”

Councilman Del Moore added, “How’s the plumbing and electrical in there? Do they want us to fix that too?”

Technically, the sidewalk isn’t the borough’s responsibility. Just as a homeowner owns and must maintain the sidewalk in front of his home, a business owner must do the same. The only exception is that the borough must make sure the sidewalks meet guidelines from the Americans with Disabilities Act. That means both ends of a sidewalk must have an accessible ramp so someone who uses a wheelchair can safely move from the street surface to the sidewalk at intersections.

There are ramps on both ends of the sidewalk on Mercer Avenue. But in the middle of the block a section of the curb is cut out and the area is painted blue, though it’s not officially marked as a handicap parking space. That’s the section of the sidewalk that’s a problem.

The sidewalk surface leading to that curb cut is wobbly and uneven. Robertson said Cano told him that someone using a wheelchair nearly tipped over in that spot. Cano said he received a letter from a disabilities advocacy group concerned about the sidewalk.

“The reason why I contacted Ken was because the Disability Network contacted me and said they didn’t think this was up to par,” Cano said. “We’ve got to take a look at this and find a better solution ... since there are so many entities involved.”

Technically, Cano said, the area in question isn’t even on the opera house property. Instead it belongs to the property next door. Britt LeMon operates The Builder’s Outlet from that space, and rents the building from Mike Benedict. Both were unaware of the concern over the ramp.

LeMon said, “We’ve never had anyone complain to us about that ramp.”

Benedict said a phone call from The Herald was the first he’s ever heard of a possible problem. “I’ve never really looked at that, as far as steepness. I just know it seems like in decent condition.”

Cano said he’s interested in seeing it repaired regardless of who owns it.

“My position is I want to do what is better for the community,” Cano said. “I don’t want to hear somebody saying in Sharpsville the sidewalks are not handicap accessible.”

The opera house uses an electronic lift to move visitors from its main-floor entrance to its third-story performance space. Cano said he’s sensitive to those with mobility issues, and some day the opera house might offer live streaming of shows upstairs in a space on its main floor so more people can enjoy performances there.

Cano points out that’s an extra step the opera house could take to reach out to more people with disabilities. He thinks of the uneven sidewalk out front in much the same way.

“What we are saying in this particular instance, we might need to make some adjustments to make it even better,” Cano said. “We all should be able to chip in a little bit to make this better.”

Council President John Alfredo referred the issue to the council’s street committee.

The borough does have a sidewalk-improvement program. When residents or business owners apply for a construction permit to build or repair a sidewalk, they also can apply for financial assistance and receive up to $500. Applications are available at the borough office.

And though council members didn’t mention it that night, this was the second time in recent months they’ve received a request for help from Pierce Opera House.

Earlier this summer representatives of the opera house asked council for permission to build a community billboard in front of the borough building to advertise upcoming events. That request was forwarded to council’s parks and recreation committee.