HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-01-23 GRAAC
Date: Thursday, January 23, 2020
Location: Conestoga Room, City of Kitchener
Present: Brenda Robinson (Co-Chair), Donna Hartzler, Janis McKenzie (City of Kitchener),
Lolita Paroski (City of Kitchener/City of Waterloo), Sanjay Govindaraj (Region of Waterloo),
Jolene MacDonald (Co-Chair), Councillor Sue Foxton (Region of Waterloo), Dawn Clelland,
Ashley Sage (Township of North Dumfries), Carrie Speers, Berny Wesselink, Councillor Sandra
Hanmer, Mamie Sealey-Baker, Heather Clark-Harris, Caitlin Gillis (Township of Wellesley),
Tracey Murray (Township of Wilmot), Rob Bender, Tamara Bell
Regrets: Jeff Smith (Township of Woolwich), Trevor Tamlin, Greg Moore, Paula Saunders,
Andrena Lockley-Brown, Councillor Debbie Chapman
Welcome and Introductions
Jolene called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.
Round table introductions
2.0 Approval of January agenda and December minutes
Donna motioned to accept January agenda, Mamie seconded
Donna motioned to accept December minutes, Mamie seconded
3.0 Declarations of Pecuniary Interests
None
4.0 City of Waterloo Alexandra Park, - Andrea Bazler
Alexandra Park is located at 47 Alexandra Avenue, a very short distance to uptown Waterloo. It
is bounded by Alexandra Avenue to the north, William Street West to the south and residential
neighbourhood park.
In 2017, the city purchased 46 and 48/50 William Street West properties with the intent to
expand the park. Existing buildings on these properties were demolished in 2018 and the city is
now in the process of redesigning and rebuilding the park. The park redesign will include the
existing park site as well as the additional new space. Phase 1 of public consultation is already
completed. Final concept of the plan is complete. Project team coming to GRAAC for
comments and/or feedback from the committee before detailed planning has been completed.
Questions and/or Feedback from the committee:
What will the surface areas be? Hard wood or a plastic composite for the surface areas,
use of tactile materials and accessible for wheels. The committee reminded the project
team that wood chips are not preferred for surface areas.
Suggested using a different texture to lead someone to the seating area.
What will the seating area be made of? Aggregate material. This material is put
together with resin but porous.
Handrails should be rounded on the benches so people can grip them.
Composite seating to be used. The committee discouraged the use of seats that are not
cane detectable.
Suggested to have chair level activities in the playground for many age groups.
Tables for food and snacks? Yes, at least three picnic tables and yes will be accessible
to the City of Waterloo standards. Twenty percent of the seating must be accessible and
the turning radius of a wheelchair needs to be included in spacing.
Pathway to be made from concrete or pavers. The path is not straight and easy to get
lost on. Strongly advise using concrete. Recommended that the tactile guide strip be
used on the entire path. Could there be some way (barrier) to stop people from going
the wrong way. Not all canes can detect the guide strips. Four by four edging was
suggested but could be a tripping hazard. Striving to add both to the design.
Could the committee see the final design before the park is built?
5.0 Township of Wellesley 2019 Status Update Caitlin Gillis
Sidewalk Replacement
445 metres of 1.5 metre-wide sidewalk with detectable warning plates were replaced and 250
metres of new sidewalk with detectable warning plates were installed in 2019.
St. Clements
Lobsinger Line (removed and replaced)
Wellesley
David Street (new)
End of existing sidewalk on David Street to Lawrence Street 183 metres
Doering Street (removed and replaced)
David Street to Nafziger Road 111 metres
Water Street to Nafziger Road 194 metres
140 metres
Multi-use trails
600 metres of existing multi-use trails were hard surfaced with asphalt complete with detectable
warning plates.
Fire Department
The new fire station on St. Clements has been completed and is in service.
Accessibility features include:
Accessible dedicated parking spots
Curb cuts interior and exterior
Push button door access exterior and interior doors
Universal fire exit signage
Smoke and CO alarms with audible and strobe warning capability
Universal barrier free washroom
Furniture in training/meeting room is portable and stackable, easily moved, and
repositioned
All public access in on one floor
Recreation
The first phase of Erbhaven Trails was completed, with a portion of the trail system accessible
with hard packed stone dust with very little grade involved in that area of the trail.
facility.
6.0 Elections Ashley Sage, Caitlin Gillis, Tracey Murray
Position = GRAAC Co-chairs
Brenda and Dawn put their names forward, no further nominations.
Position = Chair of Built Environment Sub-Committee
Paula Saunders provided a letter stating her interest to stand as Chair of Built Environment.
Dawn nominates Paula Saunders.
No further nominations.
Elections closed and results announced after break.
Break
7.0 City of Waterloo Northdale Parks Trevor Schmidt
The Northdale neighbourhood is located between Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of
Waterloo, in an area bounded by University Avenue West, Phillip Street, Columbia Street West
and King Street North.
In 2012, the city developed a Northdale land use and a community improvement plan study. The
goal of the study was to revitalize the area into a vibrant and sustainable neighbourhood. With
this in mind, the city is designing and building two new smaller park spaces (parkettes) in the
Northdale neighbourhood. Preferred concepts were presented for Sunview and Hemlock parks.
Park is geared towards teenagers and adults.
Feedback and/or questions from the committee:
Posts holding equipment in the centre i.e. ping pong table, chairs cannot be cane
detected by people with visual disabilities.
The committee does not recommend wood chips as preferred surface.
Basketball nets are at different heights allows for accessibility.
Naturalized meadow plantings with edibles.
Do not separate the accessible areas from the rest of the playground.
The path is not straight and easy to get lost on. Strongly advise using concrete.
Recommended that the tactile guide strip be used on the entire path. Could there be
some way (barrier) to stop people from going the wrong way. Not all canes can detect
the guide strips. Four by four edging was suggested but could be a tripping hazard.
Equipment could be lower to the ground.
Bench armrests need to be rounded.
Colour of the concrete. Dark colours look like a hole. Contrast also works and project
team planning to make the contrast long strips versus chunks.
8.0 Election Results Ashley Sage
Co-chairs for the committee will be Dawn Clelland and Brenda Robinson.
Chair of Built Environment Sub Committee will be Paula Saunders.
9.0 Accessible Taxi Discussion continued Donna Hartzler, Sanjay Govindaraj
Region of Waterloo has a $200,000 pool of money for Uber and Taxis to have more vehicles
accessible. Some ideas were talked about but no concrete decisions have been made. No
easy answers as the accessible vehicles are quite costly to run.
10.0 Councillor Reports
Councillor Sandra Hanmer (City of Waterloo)
Busy with the budget and snow removal.
Councillor Sue Foxton (Region of Waterloo)
St. Agatha all Accessible parking suggested replaced with bike lanes.
Notre Dame Road project team will be coming to GRAAC.
Municipalities looking at Snow removal very costly. Council still to discuss, no decisions
until at least the end of the year
11.0 Co-chair/Staff Rep Reports
Lolita Paroski (City of Kitchener/City of Waterloo)
Contact list to send via email and email back any changes to your contact info.
Orientation for new members happened last week. New members received a binder
with GRAAC information including a section for minutes and agendas. Binders will be
set up and distributed at a future meeting for existing members.
On Wednesday, January 29, 2020 a facility audit will be happening at Doon Pioneer
Park Community Centre and the Kitchener Public Library (Pioneer Park branch). The
audit is scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Please email Lolita if interested in
attending.
FYI Service Canada developed a new CPP Disability Benefits toolkit is available online
to help people understand and work through the application process.
Sanjay Govindaraj (Region of Waterloo)
More and more public washrooms are not available after the building is closed. Sanjay
shared a customer concern regarding the former bus terminal.
Councillor Sue Foxton shared that public businesses are supposed to allow persons to
use the washrooms.
Tracey Murray (Township of Wilmot)
New Signage project. Due to time constraints, Tracey will be sending the samples via
Email to committee members for feedback.
12.0
Active Transportation Advisory Committee, Dawn Clelland
It was suggested that a motion be made to all regional councils and send to regional clerk.
Rebecca Harris, Chris Fletcher. Needs to get on the regional agenda.
Dawn motioned to audit and address accessibility issues on ION for members of our
community who are blind and/or have cognitive challenges in an expedient manner. The
committee wishes to have this sent to the clerks to share with regional council.
Bernie Seconded. All in favour.
, Brenda Robinson
The group divided into further groups to focus on an area. Brenda is in the training group.
Meeting adjourned.
Next meeting will be on Thursday February 27, 2020 1:30 p.m. start
City of Kitchener, 200 King St West, Conestoga Room
Please send regrets to:
Janis McKenzie at janis.mckenzie@kitchener.ca
519-741-2200 Ext. 7225