HomeMy WebLinkAboutGRAAC - 2018-11-22
Date: Thursday, November 22, 2018
Location: Conestoga Room, City of Kitchener
Present: Sharon Giles (Co-Chair), Greg Moore (Co-Chair), Keri Cameron, Rob Bender,
Rhonda-Marie Parke, Donna Hartzler, Mike Shipley, Paula Saunders, Gail Brunsdon, Ben
Benninger, Councillor Sue Foxton (Region of Waterloo), Councillor Yvonne Fernandes (City of
Kitchener), Janis McKenzie (City of Kitchener), Lolita Paroski (City of Kitchener/City of
Waterloo) Sanjay Govindaraj (Region of Waterloo), Tracey Murray( Township of Wilmot), Ashley
Sage (Township of North Dumfries)
Regrets: Councillor Bob Mavin (City of Waterloo), Brenda Robinson, Andrew Tutty, Jolene
MacDonald
Absent: Dawn Clelland, Amy Black (Township of Wellesley), Jeff Smith (Township of
Woolwich)
Guests: Dave Smith (Region of Waterloo), Brendan Simon (Region of Waterloo)
Welcome and Introductions
Sharon called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m.
Round table introductions
2.0 Approval of October Minutes and November Agenda
Motion to accept the October minutes moved by Paula and seconded by Ben, carried and
November Agenda moved by Donna, and seconded by Rob, carried.
3.0 Declarations of Pecuniary Interests
has been awarded the project from the City of Kitchener, Technical Manual Parks & Trails
Wayfinding Signage and includes design of two current development signs.
4.0 Region of Waterloo 2018 Diversity/Inclusion & Accessibility Status update
In 2018, Regional Council approved the Multi-Year Diversity, Accessibility and Inclusion plan
(2018- years to identify, prevent, and
remove barriers in Regional programs and services for people with disabilities. This five-year
plan starting in 2018 created in consultation with staff from across the Region, The Grand River
Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC), as well as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Stakeholder group. The 2018 Diversity, Accessibility and Inclusion Status update report was
sent to GRAAC members via email prior to the meeting.
The 2018 Diversity, Accessibility and Inclusion S
commitment to removing barriers to its programs and services and the progress they have
made on actions to meet the AODA. The action plans are spread across four areas.
Welcoming and accessible spaces
Toolkit handed out to GRAAC members. The toolkit was designed to assess Region of
Waterloo facilities for signs of welcome and inclusion for diverse customers. The toolkit
is a starting point to make spaces welcoming and accessible.
Access to Services
Communication and Engagement
Inclusive Workplace employment statistics of diversity within the Region of Waterloo
Internally focused. De-escalation training utilized for Region of Waterloo staff regularly.
Each of the four areas contains actions to meet their requirements under the Integrated
Accessibility Standards Regulation
Feedback is welcome on the 2018 Diversity, Accessibility and Inclusion Status Report, and on
the accessibility and diversity of our programs, services, and facilities. If you have any ideas or
suggestions, please contact sgovindaraj@regionofwaterloo.ca
5.0 Region of Waterloo 2018 GRT Accessibility Status Report
The Grand River Transit (GRT) Accessibility Plan sent via email to GRAAC members for
discussion prior to this meeting.
The Grand River Transit (GRT) Accessibility Plan developed with input from GRAAC and the
Specialized Transit Services Advisory Committee (STSAC), as well as consideration of input
from customers via the customer contact system and the Grand River Transit Business Plan
and the Mobility, public consultation meetings.
Regional Council has approved the Business Plans.
Grand River Transit is committed to:
1. The continuous development of accessible public transit services;
2. Working towards ensuring its facilities are barrier free;
3. Working towards providing barrier free employment and employment opportunities; and
4. Establishing communication services that respect the abilities of all customers,
employees and the public at large.
The accessibility activities undertaken in previous years are reflective of the continued progress
making balanced, measured and sustainable progress, consistent with its business planning
process and financial and operational capacity.
work plan that addresses all regulatory requirements as established under the Accessibility for
Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Linking the accessibility plan initiatives to the GRT
business planning process provides the mechanism to chart progress in identifying and
removing existing barriers, safeguarding against any new barriers being created and finally
ensuring that accessibility gains are sustainable.
Key Business Plan initiatives underway include; service expansion including additional Mobility
PLUS and Kiwanis Transit vehicles, improving coordination of trips between Urban and Rural
services and advances in the use of technology to improve reservations.
The GRT Accessibility Plan was vetted through both the Grand River Accessibility Advisory
Committee (GRAAC) and the Specialized Transit Services Advisory Committee (STSAC) to
discuss the progress toward the goal of full accessibility. Subsequent to those sessions, this
The plan will be reviewed and updated at a minimum every five years; however, given the
ongoing development of accessibility regulations under the AODA, updates may be required
sooner.
Next Five-Year Business Plan for Specialized Services
Transit Services in 2000 was completed in June 2017. It has been presented to the STSAC and
has received approval in principal by Regional Council. Recommendations set out in the plan
will be submitted on an annual basis for budget review and approval from 2018 to 2021.
2019 initiatives to focus on:
Technology improvements
Continue to plan implementation and use of a customer self-service online
booking system and advance notification system to make day-before reminder
calls and notices,
Develop and implement a new pre-paid account system for MobilityPLUS
registrants
Service Improvements
To meet additional trip demands, increase service for both MobilityPLUS and
Kiwanis Transit by purchasing additional vehicles
Cross Boundary Coordination
To improve trips connecting between the Urban and Rural Service areas,
Kiwanis Transit & GRT are reviewing current cross boundary trip policy and are
considering adding transfer points for trips to and from the rural and urban areas
GRT uses accessibility taxis for transfers 40% of the time leaving no time for users not needing
the mobility buses. Unfortunately, there is just an overarching need for accessible taxis in this
area.
6.0 Councillor Reports All Councillors
Councillor, Sue Foxton made a comment in regards to the GRT Accessibility Status report; I
think staff are thinking that Special Transit and GRAAC do the same thing. They are looking at
how to proceed, do they stay with two committees, amalgamate the two? Still up in the air.
Councillor Yvonne Fernandes shared that the new Councillor to the GRAAC committee will be
Councillor Kelly Galloway-Sealock.
7.0 Co-chair/Staff Reports
Sharon asked that the committee please use the Complaint line for snow removal issues.
Lolita shared that the next City of Kitchener All committees meeting is scheduled on the same
day as the January GRAAC meeting, January 24, 5-8pm meeting. Invite will be sent out by
Janis via email.
Break
8.0 ION Accessibility site visit report
ION Accessibility site visit report was sent to the GRAAC members via email prior to the
meeting for discussion. Brendan Simon and Paula Saunders presented the results of the site
visits. Out of 19 stations, an audit has been done on 17 stations. Two audits were not done
due to construction.
The report contains issues summarized as a whole for all of the stations, as some issues were
consistent from station to station, however, in some cases due to the intersections in nearby
listed as separate issues.
Every location issue was included in one of three buckets of issues:
Bucket#1 Known deficiencies - working with the Region Waterloo and Grand Linq.
Bucket#2 Issues identified, as not necessarily code issues but need to be addressed.
Bucket#3 Non-code issues and no standards or codes around issues - no standard for
intersections, lobbying for the future, and concerns of the citizens.
A suggestion was made for the GRAAC committee to get the report onto the Region of
Waterloo Council agenda. Rhonda and Greg have offered to go to the council meeting on behalf
of the GRAAC committee. The report was put together during an ongoing audit and some of the
issues shared with Regional staff already, therefore the committee would need to check in with
Regional staff on what has already been addressed.
9.0 Painted Crosswalks next steps
Lolita shared with the committee that in June 2018 Barry Cronkite and Darren
Kropf from Transportation came to the meeting asking for feedback from the committee
regarding painted crosswalks. At that meeting it was recommended to do a site visit at an
existing painted crosswalk location. A representative from CNIB, Lolita, Barry, Darren, and
GRAAC members met at the Wilson crosswalk in August 2018. From that site visit it was
recommended that an accessibility recommendation document for painted crosswalks be
drafted up and shared with GRAAC. Paula shared the draft at the October 2018 meeting.
the draft has been brought back to GRAAC at this meeting to decide next steps. Paula shared
with the committee that when Love My Hood came to GRAAC, GRAAC did identify traffic
calming as a high priority. GRAAC members agree and are in favour of the traffic calming but
not all in favour of painted crosswalks as a way to calm the traffic. It was decided to redraft the
accessibility recommendation for painted crosswalks to highlight in an opening sentence that
GRAAC supports traffic calming but does not support painted crosswalks and to keep
accessibility recommendations with the minor changes shared at the October meeting and to
provide examples to further explain the recommendation. Paula to bring back a revised draft to
the December GRAAC meeting.
.
Motion to Adjourn by Rob, seconded by Rhonda and carried.
Next meeting will be on Thursday December 20, 2018
City of Kitchener, 200 King St W Conestoga Room
Please send regrets to:
Janis McKenzie at janis.mckenzie@kitchener.ca
or call 519-741-2200 Ext. 7225