HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-09-26 GRAAC/lfff�l
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee
Date: Thursday, September 26, 2019
Location: Conestoga Room, City of Kitchener
Present: Brenda Robinson (Co -Chair), Councillor Debbie Chapman (City of Kitchener) Lolita
Paroski (City of Kitchener/City of Waterloo) Sanjay Govindaraj (Region of Waterloo), Caitlin
Gillis (Township of Wellesley), Rob Bender, Paula Saunders, Ashley Sage (Township of North
Dumfries), Councillor Sandra Hanmer (City of Waterloo), Donna Hartzler, Janis McKenzie (City
of Kitchener), Jeff Smith (Township of Woolwich), Tracey Murray (Township of Wilmot), Dawn
Clelland, Councillor Sue Foxton (Region of Waterloo), Jolene MacDonald (Co -Chair)
Regrets: Trevor Tamlin, Keri Cameron, Greg Moore
Absent:
Guests: Cassandra Pacey (City of Waterloo), Darren Kropf (City of Kitchener), Trevor Schmidt
(City of Waterloo), Mark Parris, (City of Kitchener)
Welcome and Introductions
Jolene called the meeting to order at 1 p.m.
Round table introductions
2.0 Approval of September agenda and June minutes
Donna motioned to accept September agenda with changes, Brenda seconded
Item #8 debrief of Minister Cho's visit deferred for a future meeting
Donna motioned to accept June minutes, Brenda seconded
3.0 Declarations of Pecuniary Interests
None
4.0 City of Waterloo Asset Management Sustainability — Cassandra Pacey
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Why invest in asset management? A lot of our assets were built in the fifties and sixties and
some are now in poor quality and new standards have not been met. Usage, environmental
and climate change were not considered and sustainability costs were not built into the assets.
Council would like to keep taxes and program fees low therefore, the City of Waterloo must be
more strategic in planning and priority setting. We need to prioritize asset management
spending today and for the next 25 years. When funding is available municipalities need to
update accessibility to meet legislation requirements. Currently, the City of Waterloo has four
surveys available for public input. Two survey questions were sent to the committee via email
previous to the meeting for discussion at today's meeting:
In a perfect world where would you rank parks in the funding equation?
Feedback:
• Dependent on age and disability, the answer differs. As a group it is too hard to
necessarily agree. The committee would like to have trails, parks, etc. as accessible as
possible, but not at a cost to some other necessary accessibility projects. Accessibility is
the priority for this group.
• Finding washrooms in a park, finding the park or even the name of the park can be
challenging for some.
Anyone with further comments can fill the survey out online and/or send comments via email to
Cassandra at Cassandra.Pacey waterloo.ca
5.0 City of Kitchener Complete Streets guidelines — Darren Kropf
The goal is to transform how people move through the city by making the transportation network
safe for everyone.
The City is developing a Complete Streets approach and guidelines that design for calmer traffic
speeds and better balance the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists. City
staff are seeking feedback on the draft Complete Streets guidelines. Complete streets are
streets for everyone. Complete streets are safe, comfortable, and convenient for all modes of
transportation. Every street can be a complete street but that doesn't mean every street will
look the same. The guidelines provide the specific details for how to design transportation
facilities for all users, based on industry best practices and to use every street project as a
catalyst for improvements. The priority is the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, transit and
automobiles in that order.
Comments/Questions from the committee:
1. Narrower lanes
o Committee does not support this as the driver cannot see if cars are parked on
both sides of the street or even just one side of the street. The driver needs to
drive down the middle and nowhere to go if another car is coming
o Where is the cyclist to go? Dependent on the street.
2. Wider sidewalks (1.8 minimum)
o Support from the committee
3. Wider boulevards
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o Support from the committee
4. Reduce turning radius
o Mixed support from the committee (what about delivery trucks)
5. Upgrade bicycle standards
o Mixed support from the committee
6. Floating bus stop
o Mixed support. Transportation will bring back to group before implementation.
7. Boulevard multi use trail standard (pedestrians separate from cyclists)
Test different options before the City of Kitchener implements any tactile strips.
Any further comments can be sent to Darren via email Darren.kropfkitchener.ca
6.0 Region of Waterloo Gender Neutral Washroom Signage — Sanjay Govindaraj
The 2018-2022 Multi -Year Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Plan includes the Welcoming
and Accessible Spaces initiative. Within this action, locating barrier free washrooms with
appropriate signage is identified. In order to increase access to barrier free washrooms, improve
signage, and enhance consistency for employees and citizens it is proposed that the Region
eliminate current signs on single stall gendered washroom and replace them with the same
signs used by local Municipalities.
Replacing washroom signage would promote equality, increase consistency, and improve
access in a variety of ways specifically for: women; trans, two -spirit, and/or non -binary
individuals; anyone who finds language as a barrier; and those who are unfamiliar with North
American washroom signage. Replacing the current signage of men/women stick figures with a
symbol displaying the appropriate functional elements inside the washroom (e.g. a toilet) allows
for an effective solution to increase equitable access to washrooms and ensure consistency
across the Region of Waterloo and other Municipal facilities.
Recommended Action steps once approved:
1. Human Resources and Citizen Services in coordination with Facilities will develop an
inventory of all single stall washrooms across all Regional facilities, including both
internal and publicly accessible washrooms. Facilities will identify costs to replace
current signage and install occupancy locks and other necessary updates (e.g. sanitary
disposal for menstrual products) to make each washroom gender neutral.
2. Human Resources and Citizen Services will engage corporate communications along
with Facilities to determine appropriate signage for updating the single stall washrooms
3. Human Resources and Citizen Services with share recommended signage with Grand
River Accessibility Advisor Committee (GRAAC) and community stakeholders including
LGBTQ+ advocates.
4. Human Resources and Citizen Services will provide staff education through the Portal
regarding the change in washroom signage.
7.0 Waterloo Park update - Trevor Schmidt
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Presented drawings showing shade and seating all the way around the perimeter of the
park. As well, drawings of the accessible washroom. An adult change table will be
roughed in the washroom however it will not be installed right away.
Recommendations from the committee for Accessible Washroom:
• Tap needs to have a larger lever, easy to use as possible
• Electric door openers
• Automatic flush on the toilet
• Baby change table need to be out of the way in case they are not put back in
place
• Large mirror that sits on top of the back splash
• L shaped Grab bar on the wall beside the toilet
• Toilet paper holder needs to be accessible
• Non slip flooring.
• Locking system on the door
• Soap dispenser at the side not under the mirror.
• Paper towel dispenser next to the sink
• Garbage can be built in or affixed to the wall out of the way
• Signage and tactile guide strips leading someone to the bathroom. (Dawn to
connect with Trevor)
RBJ Schlegel Park update — Mark Parris
Mark shared the proposed design for the playground with the committee. Playground
has various play structures for junior to senior age children.
Comments from the committee:
• Great to see that the ramp is flush with the ground surface.
• Cannot be fully accessible due to the use of wood chips in the playground.
Committee does not support the use of wood chips as the best option.
• Drop zone at the end of a slide with wood chips makes it dangerous for small
children.
• No ramps getting onto the senior side of the park.
• More thought needs to be put into the ramps and actual surface.
Playground accessible document put together by the GRAAC committee and
sent to staff offers wood chips as a secondary option.
Action item: Playground document needs to be looked at to remove wood
chips as a secondary option.
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8.0 Built Environment Sub -Committee Update - Paula Saunders
• Canoe Launching pads visits to four different locations. Alterations have been done to
slopes to comply with AODA standards. Worked out rest areas.
• City of Kitchener wayfinding and signage guide for staff. Dawn, Paula, and Lolita met
during the summer break to review the draft document and provided feedback. Dawn
and Paula met with Niall to share wayfinding concerns and considerations.
• Open space renovation here at City Hall to Carl Zehr square and Duke Street. New
stage will be accessible. Redoing handrails, changing the ramps indicators at the top
and bottom, pool to be redone with edging. Tactile strips edging to be included as well
utilizing best practices not required by law. Discussion regarding where to put the tactile
strip King Street. Committee recommends Duke Street tactile strip to provide direct
entrance into City Hall.
• Ice and snow workshop held on August 14, 2019 update:
GRAAC committee position still want clear sidewalks.
• Button factory in the City of Waterloo will install an elevator to access second floor from
first floor. Access into the building by existing ramp. Ramp will receive maintenance
work to allow flush entrance through the facility door.
• Building Condition Assessments are being done for the City of Kitchener facilities and
GRAAC has been asked to join during the Accessibility audits. Twenty one locations will
be visited during the month of October. Lolita and Paula will be attending all and invite
any members to join. A schedule will be sent to the members. Starting tomorrow at
9:00 a.m. the audit location Cameron Heights pool and Monday Kiwanis pool.
• WMRC Renovations
Next meeting is on October 16, 2019 to receive an update. Paula will bring back to the
committee at the October GRAAC meeting.
9.0 Debrief of Minister Cho's visit — Brenda Robinson
Deferred for a future meeting
10.0 GRAAC Rep's on Committees Updates
• Mayor's task force, Jolene MacDonald
Brenda Robinson to replace Jolene
• Active Transportation committee, Brenda Robinson
As Brenda will be replacing Jolene on the Mayor's task force, a new representative is
needed for this committee. Dawn Clelland to replace Brenda. Sanjay to forward
information regarding committee to Dawn.
• Accessible Taxi, Donna Hartzler
Nothing to report
• Cycling/Trails committee, Dawn Clelland
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Impact of bike routes on accessible parking. The Cycling and Trails Master Plan is
coming in October to the GRAAC meeting
11.0 Councillor Reports
Councillor Sue Foxton (Region of Waterloo)
The GRT will not be cancelling the route from Trinity Village to Freeport Hospital at this time.
Councillor Debbie Chapman (City of Kitchener)
Copies of Kitchener's Strategic plan handed out to the committee
Councillor Sandra Hanmer (City of Waterloo)
Open house at Waterloo Recreation Complex 5:00-7:30 p.m. tonight
12.0 Co-chair/Staff Rep Reports
Lolita Paroski (City of Kitchener/City of Waterloo)
GRAAC recruitment is open and the deadline is October 18, 2019. Please let anyone
know who might be interested. Lolita will send link to application to all members.
Nadine McNeelands (City of Kitchener) will cover in October as Lolita will be away at a
conference.
Donna Motion to adjourn by, seconded by Rob and carried.
Next meeting will be on Thursday October 24, 2019 — 1:30 p.m. start
City of Kitchener, 200 King St West, Conestoga Room
Please send regrets to:
Janis McKenzie at ianis.mckenziekitchener.ca
or call 519-741-2200 Ext. 7225
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