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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGRAAC - 2017-01-26Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee Date: Thursday January 26, 2017 Location: Conestoga Room, City of Kitchener Present: Rob Bender, Keri Cameron, Donna Hartzler, Carrie Speers, Sharon Giles, Gail Brunsdon, Andrew Tufty, Jolene MacDonald, Councillor Sue Foxton (Region of Waterloo), Dawn Mittelholtz (Township of Wilmot), Julie Forth (Township of Woolwich), Gina Hickman (Region of Waterloo), Lolita Paroski (City of Kitchener/City of Waterloo), Johanna Ellis (City of Kitchener), Karen Panchaud (ASL Interpreter) Regrets: Paula Saunders, Greg Moore, Dawn Clelland, Mike Shipley, Michele Cadotte, Councillor Bob Mavin, Councillor Sarah Marsh Absent: Amy Black (Township of Wellesley), Lori Heinbuch (Township of North Dumfries), Brenda Robinson 1.0 Welcome and Introductions • Called the meeting to order at 1:30pm • Welcomed new members and went around the table for introductions. 2.0 Approval of December Minutes and January Agenda • Motion to accept the January agenda by Keri and seconded by Andrew, carried • Motion to accept the December minutes by Sharon and seconded by Donna, carried 3.0 Declarations of Pecuniary Interests • None 4.0 AAC to Discuss use of (Taxi) Accessibility Funds — Angelo Apfelbaum, Region of Waterloo • Angelo spoke to GRAAC just over a year ago. He is back with an update. As of December 1, 2016 a new bylaw was implemented. • The annual revenue generated from non -accessible taxi's/vehicles are estimated at approximately 90K. These are fees collected from these non -accessible vehicle operators. • Looking at what to use the revenue for. • A committee will be formed to look at where to use the money. Example, retrofit metered taxis (Mobility Plus). • Would like a member from GRAAC to sit on the committee. Will collect names and let Angelo know. Will include one member from the metered taxi industry and one from auxiliary taxi industry. Gina Hickman will sit on the committee. • 100% of funding will go toward the accessibility. • There will be 4 meetings between March and September before going to council. The frequency of meetings will be determined after that. GRAAC — January 2017 Minutes Page 1 • Would like to know as soon as possible who the GRAAC appointee will be. First meeting will be in March. Will appoint a GRAAC member at the February meeting. 5.0 Township of Woolwich Splash Pad and Trail • Julie handed out concept drawings of the proposed splash pad in Elmira. • Proposed location is Bolender park. • The walkway from the parking lot to the splashpad will be concrete. • Crushed stone is proposed for the parking lot. Q. Will there be seating and benches around the splashpad? A. Yes Q. Will the surface of the splash pad be wheelchair accessible? A. Yes, it will be accessible (the sidewalk will be concrete) Q. Will this splash pad be interactive? Height and size of buttons for water feature will need to be the proper height for everyone. A. Julie will find out. From the drawings, it looks like the buttons are accessible. Q. What colour is the concrete? Thinking about the temperature. A. Julie will take this back. • Julie handed out a site plan drawing for Breslau trail. • There is a new trail being put in by developer that will be maintained by the township. • Looking for feedback and general comments on the proposed trail. • Stone dust construction, slope less than 4%, 2% cross slope. • There are also areas on the diagram that show asphalt service roads. Comment: Should connect with Josh Joseph (City of Kitchener) and get ideas as to what The City of Kitchener did. Q. Will there be a rest area or areas on the trail and how long is the trail? A. Julie will take back and get details. 6.0 Elections - Julie Forth, Dawn Mittelholtz • Greg Moore appointed Keri Cameron to vote on his behalf via proxy • Julie read out the rules of how voting works. Co -Chair Nominations Keri Cameron — Declined Sharon Giles — Stand Donna Hartzler — Declined Carrie Speers — Stand GRAAC — January 2017 Minutes Page 2 Andrew Tufty — Declined Rob Bender - Declined • Sharon Giles and Carries Speers were acclaimed Built Environment Chair Paula Saunders — acclaimed 7.0 Snow Removal Position Paper— Sharon Giles (Moved agenda item since elections were finished early) • Sharon went over the letter that was sent to the committee. • Based on past discussion, this letter was to go to MPP's etc. • Suggested to send the letter with Councillor Sue Foxton for her meeting with the ministers on the weekend. • Jolene has volunteered to design a logo for GRAAC. • Sharon put the following motion forward. Motion The position paper from GRAAC, as amended in regards to sidewalk snow removal, be forwarded to Ontario MPP's, Cities, Region, Townships, Minimum Maintenance Standards Committee and the paper be taken to the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association by Councillor Foxton and to AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) in August to further strengthen GRAAC's position on sidewalk snow removal. Seconded by Gail Brunsdon Carried Break 8.0 Waterloo Uptown Streetscape — Eric Saunderson (Region of Waterloo), Barb Magee Turner (City of Waterloo) • Eric Saunderson gave a presentation on King St improvements in uptown Waterloo. • Originally started as a street lighting project and went on from there. • Eric had a power point set up and went through the design of the new streetscape. • A complete rebuild of underground and streetscape. • Project was initially put on hold due to LRT construction. • Throughout planning, the ION route alignment was changed allowing for the Waterloo uptown streetscape. • It is currently in the detailed design stage. • There is a public consultation planned for January 31 st at Waterloo City Hall from 8am — 9:30am and again from 5pm — 7pm. Seeking further input. • Moving from 4 lanes to 2 lanes on King Street in uptown Waterloo. Through the reduction of lanes there is more space for wider sidewalks and also cycling lanes. • Through discussions with local cycling committee and businesses, it was agreed that an off road cycling lane would be better. More comfortable for users. • Considered a few different options to accommodate the off road cycle lanes. The pedestrian crossing to be set back a little further for safety. • Mountable curb for cyclists to enter. • Staff are recommending to put tactile warning plates at the crossings. GRAAC — January 2017 Minutes Page 3 • There is some confusion as to where to enter the roadway. Will adding plates be misleading? Further input is required. Comment: As a blind person, I would consider the plates (Tactile Warning Surface Indicators) as a place to cross. Q. Where is the bike lane now? A. There is an amenity space, right now, between the bike lane and the sidewalk (benches, for example). Q. Are you considering any kind of wayfinding through that crossing where the cycling and pedestrian crossing merge? A. There are other municipalities who have used intersection markings for wayfinding. (Lolita will look into what notes she has on this and forward to Eric and Barb). • To avoid a collision between cyclists and pedestrians, there will be stop bars. • The type of design is based on examples in the U.S. Q. Where is the accessible parking? A. There is one on street spot by Princess Street. • The AODA identifies what is required for on street parking. • Eric shared that given the space gained from moving from 4 lanes to 2 lanes of traffic on King Street, the on street parking spaces could be designed to accommodate accessibility and have flush curbs. Eric will investigate. Comments: • Blockline between Homer Watson and Strasburg in Kitchener. Speak to City staff about that design. Bike lane and road. • Re -locate the fire hydrant at King and Erb Streets. It is in the middle of the sidewalk. • When you are deaf, you will never hear a cyclist coming up behind you. It is very important to have a buffer area between pedestrian walkway and cyclist lane. • Placement of transit shelters is something else to take into consideration. Have the shelters set back where riders would be away from pedestrian access and cycling lane. • Can there be textured type surfaces between the pedestrian and cycling lane area? Should there be indicators/textured surfaces by these transit shelters on the crossing path to board the bus? • Identify areas where you enter on to the bus. • Trying to create a barrier free design. • Information should be made available to the CNIB clients. 9.0 Township of Wilmot Status Update — Dawn Mittelholtz • Continuing training of all employees, volunteers and contractors. • Accessible parking downtown New Hamburg, regional roads. • Moving toward more accessible online forms. • Looking at how to make website more accessible for everyone. GRAAC — January 2017 Minutes Page 4 Grand River Transit pilot project to start in Wilmot. Route 77 through Wilmot has been approved. New bus is coming and will have a ramp. 10.0 Councillor's Report • No report 11.0 Co-Chair(s) Report • Gina Hickman is the permanent staff rep, on GRAAC, from the Region of Waterloo. • Dawn Mittelholtz shared that Anne of Green Gables was filmed at Castle Kilbride in Baden. • Carrie reported that GRAAC is doing a great job educating people about accessibility. Things that people do not face every day. 13.0 Adjournment • Motion by Rob and seconded by Donna Next meeting will be on Thursday February 23d, 2017 City of Kitchener, 200 King St W — Conestoga Room Please send regrets to: Johanna Ellis at lohanna.elliskitchener.ca or call 519-741-2200 Ext. 7225 GRAAC — January 2017 Minutes Page 5