The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutGRAAC - 2012-12-20Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAA C) Thursdav, December 20, 2012 Kitchener Citv Hall, Conestoga Room PRESENT: Anthony Cashin (Co- Chair), Gordon Cummer (Co- Chair), Kaitlyn Draker, Councillor Kelly Galloway - Sealock, Councillor Jean Haalboom, Gina Hickman, Valerie Hummel, Stephannie Leach, Amanda Moorhead, Karen Panchaud (ASL Interpreter), Ken Parker, Lolita Paroski, Lesley Roach (ASL Interpreter), Paula Saunders, Mike Shipley, Julia Sippel, Carrie Speers, Andrew Tufty, Councillor Berry Vrbanovic REGRETS: Johanna Ellis, Dawn Griffen, Councillor Jeff Henry, David Kuhn, Dorothy Staal 1.0 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS • Anthony Cashin called the meeting to order. • Anthony Cashin welcomed all members; round table introductions. 2.0 APPROVAL OF NOVEMBER MINUTES & DECEMBER AGENDA Councillor Haalboom's report as recorded in the November minutes references a maximum tax increase of 5 %; this number should be confirmed. Agenda should refer to the approval of the November minutes and the December agenda. Motion to approve the minutes and agenda with required changes made by Ken Parker, seconded by Carrie Speers; carried. 3.0 DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS • None 4.0 ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY GARDENS PROJECT: Krista Long (Consultant, Diggable Communities Collaborative) • Update on progress of community garden at Chandler Mowat Community Centre, a joint initiative with Opportunities Waterloo Region, Community Garden Network and Public Health department. On a motion made by Gordon Cummer, seconded by Ken Parker: "That the original design for the accessible community garden at the Chandler Mowat Community Centre proceed, assuming that an accessible path to address the change in elevation at the site can be provided. If an accessible path cannot be provided, then GRAAC recommends the alternate location for the accessible community garden at the site be pursued, as long as a water supply can be provided. Further, GRAAC recommends that accessible storage be provided in either case. MOTION CARRIED. Discussion: • Accessible garden designs include two raised beds, 12'x 6' each. One will be 23" high for wheelchair gardening with accessible tools, and the other will be 36" high. Constructed from 6" x 6" raised timbers. Beds will be situated on a hard surface. • Slope of site is a challenge that must be addressed. • Trillium grant is the funding source for the project. It is insufficient to cover costs of addressing the slope. • GRAAC identified two options: 1. Recommend that the City address the slope issue and proceed with project as proposed. Gardeners prefer this option (existing location). Close to water source and proximate to December 2012 - GRAAC Minutes Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAA C) Thursdav, December 20, 2012 Kitchener Citv Hall, Conestoga Room storage sheds. Path would have to go around existing seating. Are existing sheds accessible? 2. Relocate the accessible garden to a location at the site that does not require visitors to navigate the slope. This alternate location would be close to the splash pad, which might be noisy. This location would require a water source and access to accessible sheds. These items may be easier to address than the slope. However, GRAAC recommends that the grade of slope must still be addressed. • Seating: there is some existing seating. A proposed retaining wall will provide alternate informal seating. Edge of lower bed also provides a seat. • Beds: proposed beds are raised bunker -style rather than table style. 6' wide design provides 3' accessibility on both sides. While table style allows wheelchairs to pull up and under the work surface, plants do not grow as well in these shallower beds. The proposed bunker -style has been used successfully at other sites. • Suggestion: add elements to the garden design to accommodate people who have vision loss to assist with depth perception • If the project meets the AODA definition of a `major renovation', then AODA legislation may require that the slope issue is addressed. However, compliance wouldn't be required until 2016. 5.0 BUILT ENVIRONMENT UPDATE: Paula Saunders • Carrie and Paula met with a rep from the Region about the Regional Master plan to review the sections that impact people with disabilities • Concerns: • Crosswalk placement: Not all of the five designs presented ensure that intersections line up with cross walks. • Indicators: especially at Frederick and Edna streets • Push button placement: Pedestrians must be educated about new locations of buttons • Ken Carmichael of Kitchener Transportation department asked for input about locations of accessible parking spots on King Street. Currently, there are two spots, on either side of city hall. • Ideally, spots would address the needs of drivers needing accessibility accommodation, not only passengers. Current sloping curbs in downtown Kitchener makes it difficult for drivers with limited accessibility. • Is Waterloo also addressing accessible parking uptown? • Suggested Kitchener locations: • On King Street in front of Market. • One per city block ACTION ITEM: Lolita to find out from Ken how many accessible spots are being added, and is there one on King in front of Market? • Councillor Glenn- Graham has requested that GRAAC provide training for Council ACTION ITEM: Subcommittee consisting of David Kuhn, Andrew Tutty and Gordon Cummer to continue developing a reasonable approach to provide disability awareness training to Councillors. 6.0 TRANSPORTATION UPDATE: Carrie Speers • Roundabouts: Two separate crossings were proposed. Recommendation is to make one crossing, accessible to all. • Right turn lanes: Consistent handling and width are recommended. Tactile indicators and lateral markers are also recommended. December 2012 - GRAAC Minutes 2 Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAA C) Thursdav, December 20, 2012 Kitchener Citv Hall, Conestoga Room • Pedestrian refuge islands: Gives pedestrians a break before crossing an entire street. Recommendations include outlining the curb in yellow and providing a tactile surface upon approach and throughout. Something that can be read with a cane to indicate direction. Concern is that a service dog might not know how to respond, might only understand the far curb. • Intersections: lateral markings are a benefit for visually impaired. Crossing time countdown helps pedestrians and drivers. When right turns on a red are not allowed, this requires education and enforcement. Advanced greens can be challenging to read, especially for the visually impaired. Locator tones help to identify the location of push buttons. Suggestion: bright white 4" x 6" raised blocks on the sidewalk on both sides of the street would help the visually impaired to maintain a straight trajectory when crossing the street. 6.1 PRESENTATION: Gord Cummer thanks Councillor Galloway - Sealock for her service on GRACC and welcomes Councillor Vrbanovic as new City of Kitchener Council representative. *BREAK* 7.0 JOINT CITY OF KITCHENER & CITY OF WATERLOO MULTI -YEAR ACCESSIBILITY PLAN: Lolita Paroski On a motion made by Gordon Cummer, seconded by Carrie Speers: "That GRAAC endorse the joint City of Kitchener and City of Waterloo Multi -Year Accessibility plan as presented to the committee and that the plan be carried forward to Councils." MOTION CARRIED. Discussion: • Plan was presented at last meeting. GRAAC suggested groups and organizations from whom to solicit feedback on the plan, and also next steps (including reporting back, and follow up activities). • According to legislation, the plan will be reviewed and updated every 5 years. Plan will be accessible on the web, along with status reports. • Staff to present an annual status report to GRAAC. • Staff posted the plan on -line and solicited feedback, as recommended. CNIB requested a presentation of the plan, and made the following suggestions related to information and communication, employment standards and training: • Brochure design: Avoid lime green, yellow. Use contrast. Run left to right. Avoid extra text boxes. • Forms: fillable PDFs with an option to save incomplete form are preferred. Use plain text. Keep it simple. Use basic technology. Provide hard -copy opportunities to submit information. Or provide a staff person to assist with on -line communication • PDFs: Scanned documents are hard to read. PDFs do not allow text size to be increased. • Web sites: Searching for an item does not always link to information on the web site. • Alt Tags: use only a basic description of the picture. • Browsealoud: it's not known about, and if users are aware of it, they don't know how to use it. Need a `how -to'. • On -line and third party document readers: Zoom Text and Jaws are popular paid services. Thunder (and others) are free. • Facebook and Twitter: very accessible. • Employment standards: Notify the public about accommodation in the recruitment process (i.e. put it in the ad). Let employment councilors in the region know about December 2012 - GRAAC Minutes 3 Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAA C) Thursdav, December 20, 2012 Kitchener Citv Hall, Conestoga Room accommodation. Require the hiring manager to request accommodation. Accept hard copy applications. o Staff training: Educate staff that 90% of people with a visual disability have some degree of sight. Everyone is different. Focus on abilities. 8.0 COUNCILLOR'S REPORT(S): Councillor Haalboom: • Budget: Still deliberating over cuts (3.5M in cuts required). Reduced opening times at Joseph Schneider House, the Regional Museum, and MacDougall Cottage are proposed. Open Doors is also at risk. The public has an opportunity to present concerns on January 9. • Active Transportation Committee: Is seeking a current GRAAC member with expertise in active transportation to serve on this committee. Mandate is to improve trails and sidewalks to encourage walking and cycling. Committee meets the third Tuesday of every month in the evening. • GRAAC is concerned that its membership could be over - extended if other committees also mandate GRAAC representation. ACTION ITEM: Councillor Haalboom to determine the following: • If GRAAC can't produce a rep for this committee, could GRAAC recommend a non- member to serve. • How the different terms of the two committees could be addressed (Active Transportation Committee's term is four years, GRAAC's is three) • If, instead of having a GRAAC rep on the Active Transportation Committee, could the Active Transportation Committee regularly come to GRAAC meetings to make presentations /solicit feedback? ACTION ITEM: GRAAC members to consider the opportunity. GRAAC to determine what's possible at the next GRAAC meeting. uncillor Vrbanovic • Member of Kitchener City Council, past president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. • Budget: Final Kitchener Budget day is January 17. Public can comment on the budget on January 7. The public has access to a budget consultation page on city site, can make recommendations there. • Upcoming public events: New Year's Eve alcohol free celebration at city hall called Festival of the Night. Mayor and Council levy Sunday, January 6 from 2 -4 pm. • Paula Saunders received one of two Queens Diamond Jubilee medals. Mayor Zehr nominated her. 9.0 STAFF UPDATES: • GRAAC work plan was circulated for 2013 -2014. Committee to forward comments to Julia Sippel. • Valerie Hummel presented Gord Cummer with a certificate of achievement. He served on GRAAC for the maximum term of 6 years. He served as the Chair of the Built Environment standing committee, and as Co -chair of GRAAC in 2011 and 2012. 10.0 CO- CHAIRS REPORT: On a motion made by Ken Parker, seconded by Carrie Speers: "That Gordon Cummer represent GRAAC on the Uptown West Neighbourhood Transportation Study task force. Gordon Cummer, recently of GRAAC, is up to date on December 2012 - GRAAC Minutes 4 Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAA C) Thursdav, December 20, 2012 Kitchener Citv Hall, Conestoga Room GRAAC issues and will communicate back to GRAAC the progress of the task force on a regular basis. " MOTION CARRIED. Discussion: The Uptown West Neighbourhood Transportation Study seeks a GRAAC representative. • Requires a commitment of 6 evening meetings, between January 30 and June. • Committee mandate: represent the neighbourhood bounded by Westmount, Erb, Union and King Streets. • Goal: provide feedback and input, including the project terms of reference, development of the public engagement component, and providing support to council. • No other members of GRAAC indicated interest in this position. • Gord will report back to GRAAC as the committee requests —at least in writing, monthly if desired. 11.0 ADJOURNMENT: • Meeting adjourned at 3:45 pm. The next meeting will be on Thursday January 24, 2013 in the Conestoga Room, Kitchener City Hall December 2012 - GRAAC Minutes 5