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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGRAAC - 2017-10-26/lfff�l Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee Date: Thursday October 26, 2017 Location: Conestoga Room, City of Kitchener Present: Sharon Giles (Co -Chair), Carrie Speers (Co -Chair), Paula Saunders, Keri Cameron, Rob Bender, Gail Brunsdon, Dawn Clelland, Councillor Sue Foxton (Region of Waterloo), Gina Hickman (Region of Waterloo), Councillor Sarah Marsh (City of Kitchener), Lolita Paroski (City of Kitchener/City of Waterloo), Dawn Mittelholtz (Township of Wilmot), Jeff Smith (Township of Woolwich), Amy Black (Township of Wellesley), Shannon Sweeney (City of Kitchener). Karen Panchaud (ASL Interpreter), Lesley Roach (ASL Interpreter). Regrets: Jolene MacDonald, Brenda Robinson, Andrew Tutty, Mike Shipley, Greg Moore, Donna Hartzler, Ashley Sage (Township of North Dumfries), Councillor Bob Mavin, Guests: Cody Boomer (City of Kitchener), Andrew Martin (Township of Wilmot) 1.0 Welcome and Introductions • Carrie Speers called the meeting to order at 1:30pm. • Round table introductions 2.0 Approval of September Minutes and October Agenda • Motion to accept the September minutes and October Agenda — moved by Dawn Clelland and seconded by Sharon Giles, carried 3.0 Declarations of Pecuniary Interests • None 4.0 City of Kitchener, Election Accessibility — Cody Boomer, City of Kitchener • Election Act requirements today state that The City of Kitchener needs to have an accessibility plan leading up to the election and then provide the results after. • There will be an accessible email address to contact that is not set up just yet. • On Election Day the municipality provides accessibility accommodations. During the campaign it is up to the candidate to provide accessibility accommodations. • There will be Kiwanis Transit available for advanced voting. Giving advanced notice of wanting to use this service would be welcome. GRAAC feedback: • Gail thinks we all need to get on board. Although not sure how to implement, she said there is a duty to accommodate. Gail asked if it is possible to online vote. Cody answered yes it is available in our region, just not The City of Kitchener yet. It was mentioned how the deaf would benefit from this. Gail also suggested that there be an interpreter on the corner of the voting screen. Having an interpreter would be more inclusive and make us all feel part. • Sharon believes it is impossible to make things universal. She tried electronic voting once and it was great. Second time it was clear the person helping was lacking training. • Dawn (Township of Wilmot) made note that all municipalities are listening and any advice is welcome. • Jeff (Township of Woolwich) their election will be running online and via telephone. The voting period will be 8-10 days. They believe there are a lot of advantages to online/phone voting. They are also looking for a location for people who need extra assistance. They will still go into nursing homes as usual. Township of Woolwich is working on an accessibility plan and will bring it to GRAAC ahead of the election. • Woolwich, Wellesley and North Dumfries are all moving to this online voting model with the next election. • Keri asked who will inspect voting locations. Cody (The City of Kitchener), the building department and there will be a form to fill out to ensure the requirements are met. • Will AODA be included with training, can GRAAC see training module? • Councillor Sarah Marsh made comment there were voting polls outside the actual ward last election and this affected accessibility. She wonders if the same will happen with the next election. • If community members would like to use the Kiwanis Transit how long in advance do they need to give warning? • Gail feels a need for ASL. Sharon wondered if people who need ASL could go to one location where there would be ASL available. It was decided quickly this could not be an option. • Dawn asked about Brail, as she knows not currently available. Cody did say that it could be requested and Dawn said please have readily available as it will be requested. • It was mentioned by Councillor Sue Foxton that electronic tabulators will be on-site as well as audible tabulators. 5.0 Built Environment update — Paula Saunders Centre in the Square Universal Washroom Update. - Paula Saunders, Carrie Speers and Lolita Paroski did a site visit to Centre and the Square on October 25th to the new Universal Washroom. - Pictures were projected on screen for members to view. - Large washroom with lots of space and all aspects of the OBC accessibility requirements were included and GRAAC's accessibility comments for washrooms were also used by staff to make this universal washroom accessible. - During the sight visit, staff asked GRAAC for the best placement of the toilet paper dispenser. Paula provided feedback and staff will install. Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre expansion. Peggy Forest shared with Paula Saunders and Lolita Paroski an upcoming project. Paula suggested GRAAC get involved with drawings are available. • City of Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex Expansion - Beth Rajnovich from the City of Waterloo shared with Lolita an update of the WRMC project. On September 25 Council gave approval for staff to move forward with public engagement on the draft conceptual drawings for the WMRC expansion. Staff will be going to council in December 2017 with a full feasibility study. If council directs staff to proceed with the project, the next step will be construction design and at that point Beth will come to GRAAC to share designs and gather accessibility feedback. • Trail Update - Paula shared an update on the trail project John Barton presented to GRAAC in June 2017. - John's update is that the scope of the project changed. - The existing trails will not be updated at this time. - The two new trails sections John presented to GRAAC in June will still be constructed (Area 5, extending to Strasburg Rd) and all aspects of that trail will meet or exceed the accessibility standards required of a recreational trail. 6.0 Final Drafts of Accessibility Comments — Paula Saunders • Final draft of recreational trails, rest areas and playgrounds. • GRAAC members received a hard copy of the 3 drafts at the September GRAAC meeting and Lolita emailed electronic copies to all members on October 4 with a deadline of October 23 to provide additional feedback to Paula or Lolita. Paula has incorporated all feedback received. Rest Areas - Removed wood benches and replaced with seating with arms. Playgrounds — added wording recommending that staff share these accessibility comments with developer built playgrounds as a resource for them but GRAAC will not provide any additional comments to developers as GRAAC advises on municipal builds. • GRAAC to forward document to Lolita to distribute to staff. 7.0 Councillor Reports — Councillor Sarah Marsh, Councillor Sue Foxton Councillor Sarah Marsh, The City of Kitchener • GRAAC members are encouraged to provide comments on the 2018 Budget in late November or December. Final decisions will be made in January. • Nightshift is artists and creators exhibits takes place Nov. 2 — 4th • Christkindl Market will take place Dec. 7 — 10th. Councillor Sarah Marsh encouraged members to come out. • Mayors City Builder Award — this happens yearly. Consider nominating persons in highest standards of volunteerism. Nominations are due on Nov. 1 st at 5 p.m. • Mayors New Year's Levee is on Jan. 7th 1:30 — 4:OOp.m. Councillor Sue Foxton, Region of Waterloo • GRAAC's new logo, is it in use? Lolita responded by saying it was recently used on the GRAAC recruitment application. Councillor Foxton requested that the new GRAAC logo be added to the agenda and minutes. 8.0 Township of Wilmot, Schmidt Wood Trail extension —Andrew Martin (Township of Wilmot) • This committee looked at 1St phase of the project. • Received from Canada 150th Grant. Looking at using the funds for a proposed trail extension. - Constraints wetland and slopes will be close to achieving standards of other trail but not sure with constraints. - 2 sections of the boardwalk constructed in the wetland area. - Can do connections to existing trail and recreational facility. - Proposed curb cuts will benefit existing trail network. GRAAC recommendations • Rob asked if there will be rest areas. Andrew replied that they haven't been identified yet; however they do anticipate having them as they are already on the existing trail. • Dawn C. asked if there will be signage for the blind on the trail. Andrew responded it can be looked into. Dawn offered to meet with Andrew to help him with this. 9.0 GRAAC Priorities Checklist • In January GRAAC discussed priorities for upcoming year. • Scope and approach is strategy related to ION project. We feel we have been kept in the loop with the ION project. • Accessible Design Standards — Both went to council. Manuals in use. • Accessibility during construction — for the most part GRAAC is being heard. ION shares with GrandLinq the concerns and GrandLinq is addressing them. Gina said this is ongoing and ION did a visit last month and all the feedback went to GrandLinq. We are to get feedback back from GrandLinq. 10.0 Co -Chair Staff Reports • GRAAC recruitment applications closed on October 13th. The applications are being reviewed. • There are 3 openings to be filled - Paula and Carrie are finished their 2nd terms with GRAAC. Motion to Adjourn by Paula Saunders, seconded by Gail Brunsdon and carried. Next meeting will be on Thursday November 23, 2017 City of Kitchener, 200 King St W — Conestoga Room Please send regrets to: Shannon Sweeney at Shannon.Sweeneykitchener.ca or call 519-741-2200 Ext. 7080