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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-06-23Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee Date: Thursday June 23`d, 2016 Location: Conestoga Room, Kitchener City Hall Present: Donna Hartzler, Keri Cameron, Carrie Speers (Co -Chair), Sharon Giles (Co -Chair), Rob Bender, Paula Saunders, Dawn Clelland, Mike Shipley, Andrew Tutty, Councillor Sue Foxton (Regional of Waterloo), Lolita Paroski (City of Kitchener/City of Waterloo), Vanessa Lopak (Region of Waterloo), Wendy Smith (Township of Wellesley), Johanna Ellis (City of Kitchener) Guests: Josh Joseph (City of Kitchener), Josh Graham (Project Manager, ION Repid Transit), Frank Prospero (Director of Recreation, Township of North Dumfries) Regrets: Councillor Kelly Galloway-Sealock (City of Kitchener), Councillor Bob Mavin (City of Waterloo), Greg Moore, Dawn Mittelholtz (Township of Wilmot) Absent: Kathie Must, Brenda Robinson 1.0 Welcome and Introductions • Carrie welcomed everyone. • Round table introductions. 2.0 Approval of April Minutes and May Agenda • Change in agenda, deferred Region of Waterloo Volunteer Guidelines and follow up on Regional e -services and added a presentation by Josh Graham (Project Manager, ION Rapid Transit) on accessible on street parking at St. Johns Church, Duke St. Moved acceptance of the June agenda as amended, Mike Shipley, seconded by Keri Cameron. • Moved acceptance of May minutes, Mike Shipley and seconded by Keri Cameron. 3.0 Declarations of Pecuniary Interests • None 4.0 City of Kitchener Community Engagement Review — Josh Joseph • Reviewing at how City of Kitchener engages with the community regarding projects etc. • Launched an online engagement platform with the Region of Waterloo, City of Waterloo and the City of Cambridge. (engagekitchener.ca) • Review of engagement practices in general to determine what's working, where there needs to be more focus and what we should stop doing or changing. Josh has been meeting with various internal staff groups (Planning, Engineering etc). As well, meeting with external community groups and committees of council, like GRAAC. • Josh distributed the handout, "Community Engagement Review". There were 6 questions the committee worked through during the meeting. Lead by staff facilitators, the committee was split into 3 groups to work through the questions. GRAAC -- June 2016 Minutes Page 1 Group 1 — Carrie Speers, Keri Cameron, Donna Hartzler, Councillor li oxton, Lolita Paroski (staff) • The City is doing a good job with getting the information out there. Would like to see flyers, posters throughout the community. When out in the community would like to have, for example, flyers on bulletin boards. • Would like to use these types of communication to help engage the City as a whole. • Make sure that once the public engages in filling out surveys that they are made aware of the outcome. For example, GRAAC feedback and what the outcome is and next steps. Group 2 — Paula Saunders, Rob Bender, Sharon Giles, Wendy Smith (staff) • The City is doing a good job in most areas. • Participating with a Neighbourhood Association, advisory committee and/or public meetings are great ways to share input. • Public events/markets are also good places to get feedback from community members. • Better communication could include collecting information from existing events. Market the information with main points (highlight). Provide advanced notification. • Generally, information is shared with GRAAC because we are an advisory committee. • Provide better information to the community about advisory committees and how people can get involved. Group 3 — Mike Shipley, Andrew Tutty, Dawn Clelland, Vanessa Lopak (staff) • The City is doing well with the need for some improvement. • The City could communicate better by having more events. • Provide more information on how important the issues are. This way people can be more engaged. • Need more conversation with our Mayor. We don't see our Mayor often. • Put flyers/posters on doors at city facilities. • Street parties or something similar and advertise it well. Closing • Josh closed by thanking the committee for the discussion. Josh will be hosting a workshops in September. One to two reps from GRAAC will be asked to attend. • Josh will send a draft of the review before it goes to Council. Break 5.0 Built Environment Update — Paula Saunders A) Douglas Park, Township of North Dumfries • Frank Prospero, Director of Recreation, Township of North Dumfries, handed out photos of Douglas Park in Ayr. • The plan is to make an area where people can gather off of Douglas Street. • Would like to have accessible swings (swim sets). • Ground cover would be pressured wood chips. • People who bid on the tender will have to be AODA compliant. • There is a full play structure at the neighbouring school. • Pipers Park will also be renovated at a later date. GRAAC — Juane 2016 Minutes Page 2 Question: Page 3 says that the paths will be gravel? Answer: Gravel down 1 foot and the top will be stone dust. Question: How are people with low to no vision going to be able to maneuver the park? Answer: There are braille signs at another park in the area and he will look at installing similar signs at this park. Frank to work with a committee member to look at transitions throughout the park. The benches are metal with brighter colours. B) Kitchener Market —washroom update • Paula reviewed the washroom renovation project at the Kitchener Market. Built committee has provided feedback which is being incorporated. C) Westmount Sports Park Site — visit on June 13, 2016 • Paula thanked the members that came out to the site. Geri Quin (City of Waterloo staff) toured committee members through the site. • Parking is close to the entrance. There are no accessible erect signs installed. This was included in GRAAC feedback. • The washroom building is built on a curb, rather than flush. This was included in GRAAC feedback. The washroom building is open during events, sport games and locked at other times due to vandalism. • Pathways are stone dust. Could not pave as per Grand River Conservation Authority restrictions. • As you enter the playground area, there is a kiosk with 16 or more panels that has different pictures of birds; press the button to learn about the bird and hear what the bird sounds like. These are all birds that live in the area of the park. • In the center of the playground thee is a large blue wooden bird structure that children can climb. • To get to the top of the slide, you need to climb several logs. • There is good access to the park from the sidewalks. • In the future the committee would like to invite city staff and to engage GRAAC when redeveloping or developing a playground. D) Bluevale Fit Park • Paula attended the grand opening on Friday June 17, • Located at Bluevale Collegiate Institute, Waterloo. • Access to the park is good. • Great signage • Would be good for a person who uses a wheelchair to do arm exercises. E) Central Promenade update • Central promenade at Waterloo Park was discussed. • Going to council in July. GRAAC preferred the straight line option. F) Accessibility Guide update — City of Waterloo + Bebe Kahn is waiting for a council date and will invite GRAAC to attend once a date is set. G) Accessibility Guide to Intersections GRAAC — June 2016 Minutes Page 3 • Lolita shared that she received comments from members who expressed concerns about getting around construction. Service disruptions are posted on the internet and temporary signage is used. Staff is doing their best to endure updates are posted. • Lolita reminded everyone that the purpose of the one pager was to educate a contractor who is completing work on intersections within a subdivision. The contractor is given the opportunity to design the sidewalk and determine where the slope would start etc. This would be used as an education piece for the contractors to consider accessibility when designing intersections. • Lolita thanked the committee for their feedback. • Lolita has forwarded the one pager to City of Kitchener and City of Waterloo staff and they will look after sharing the information with the contractors. Questions/Comments • Stay on top of it and keep reminding the Region and City of concerns. • Accessing parking pots at Waterloo Sports Park was discussed and noted that there are only yellow accessible parking symbols on the ground. Comments were given to City of Waterloo staff to have the erect signage as per the AODA legislation. 6. Councillor(s) Report(s) • Councillor Sue Foxton wished the committee a safe and happy summer. 7. Staff Report • City of Kitchener/City of Waterloo report. Yesterday, Lolita emailed all GRAAC members information about the Age Friendly Community project. The Compass Kitchener Report Card; Kitchener scored high. • All members received the email from Amanda Moorhead indicating that she will no longer be the agency representative for the Canadian Hearing Society on GRAAC. • The Canadian Hearing Society will send a replacement agency representative. GRAAC staff reps are in the process of working through the details. • GRAAC staff reps are starting to look at planning for recruitment. If committee members are planning on not returning, please let any staff rep know. • Two certificates of appreciation for 5 years, from Volunteer Resources, were presented to Paula Saunders and Carrie Speers. Break 8. Accessible On -Street Parking at St. John's Church on Duke Street -- Josh Graham (Project Manager, ION Rapid Transit) • The church representatives and ION met to discuss accessible parking. It was agreed to install an accessible parking spot on Duke St. • There are approximately 6 parking stalls, one will be accessible on Duke St in front of St. John's Church. Currently there is no parking planned for Duke St. Comment - Plowing is an issue. Ensure parking post is plowed of snow, but does not create a bank of snow on the sidewalk. Similarly, ensure sidewalk, when plowed, does not create a bank of snow in the parking spot. Josh will circle back with Kitchener Operations. • Parking is not designated only for the church. Question: How long will the construction last on Duke St? GRAAC — June 2016 Minutes Page 4 Answer: Right now they are doing the deep work (storm water, sewer). Most of the work will continue into 2018. Will check the schedule and let the committee know. There is a push to get the sidewalks in. Question: The structure of the ground material around the LRT track is bumpy, why is that? Answer: That is not the final material being used. The final ground material will be smoother, like the track already at Benton and Charles, Question: Where can I find "real time" information regarding construction and potential road closures? Answer: You can sign up at Rapid Transit for updates. They are required to respond within 24 hours. The website is updated daily www.regionofwaterloo.calrgidtransit 9. Co -Chair Report • Amanda is leaving the committee. • Reminder that there is no meeting in July. • Carrie contacted Ken Parker (active transportation advisory committee, Region of Waterloo). Ken was a previous member of GRAAC. When he completed his term on GRAAC, he joined the active transportation advisory committee and at that time told GRAAC that he would provide updates. Carrie learned that Ken has nothing to report at this time. • Accessible parking was discussed further and how it is policed. By-law will ticket if called and a complaint is made. • Sharon Giles contacted Gord Cummer, another previous GRAAC member. Gord was part of an uptown Waterloo committee within the neighbourhood he lives in. Gord shared with Sharon that the committee has completed the work he was involved with and has since wrapped up. He has nothing to share with GRAAC at this time. • Paula sends regrets for the August GRAAC meeting. 10. Adjournment • Motion to adjourn by Dawn and seconded by Donna GRAAC -- June 2016 Minutes Page 5