HomeMy WebLinkAboutSHCAC Minutes - 2020-01-09
The Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee met this date January 9, 2020 commencing at
4:00p.m.
Present: J. Legg, G. Achim, G. Albert, B. Wilson, A. Monteith, A. Venner,
Staff: M. Hildebrand, Director, Neighbourhood Programs
J. McKenzie, Committee Administrator
L. Palubeski, Manager, Program and Resource Services
C. Cormier, Adults 55+Services Coordinator
A. Fritz-Walters, Project Manager, Community Centres
1. Discussion Items
Age Friendly Kitchener Carolyn Cormier
Age-Friendly communities are places that have supportive physical and social environments
for older adults. Common values include:
Supporting people of all ages
Offering choices so that people can live in meaningful ways
Considering more than just physical health as part of well-being
Striving for community participation and partnership
Promoting the inclusion of all persons in decisions affecting them
A community whose policies and services:
Are flexible and accessible
Anticipate and respond to aging-related needs and preferences
Respect the decisions and lifestyle choices of older adults
Promote safety and security
Recognize the wide range of capacities, talents and gifts of older adults
When we make a community friendly for older adults, we make it friendly for everyone
Age Friendly Action Plan:
Development of the action plan informed through engagement with over 1200 residents
Engagement for the project was broad and inclusive and conducted through:
Community workshops
Student and committee led public surveying
Online engagement
Discussions with older adults in programs
Surveys through meals on wheels
Four Priority Areas:
Accessible and Affordable
Neighbourhoods
Belonging
Connectedness and Well-being
Work is ongoing just by the nature of the initiative
Successes:
Increased MACKS (Mayors Advisory Committee for Kitchener Seniors) engagement
requests
MACKS advocacy in support of winter sidewalk maintenance pilots
Orientation of new City Councillors to Age-friendly Action Plan and work of MACKS
Launch of free Sharing Dance program
Kitchener Fire Suppression staff training on dementia support
Provided transit training program
Priority Areas of Focus:
Sidewalk Maintenance & Snow Removal
Block Connector Program
Communication & Information
Supportive and Inclusive programs and activities
Future Age-Friendly Initiatives:
Age-friendly Neighbourhood Planning
Age-friendly Volunteering
Age-friendly business recognition program
the community ambassador program
Neighbourhood Links
Questions:
1. Barriers to reaching out people suffering from depression do not want to
necessarily reach out. There is a program at Rockway currently, Peer connections.
This constitutes programming for both the dementia individuals and separate
programming for the caregivers who are also sometimes isolated and do not know
how to reach out. Challenging to be inclusive.
2. Age-friendly business program is something the MACKS committee is hoping to
develop and launch as a business recognition of age friendly practices.
3. Is there a way for GRAAC and MACKS to work together in order to offer input on
site plans coming through the City of Kitchener as they would see through an age
friendly lens. Lori and Carolyn to meet and discuss how to align both committees.
Community Centre Use of Space update Angie Fritz- Walters
Key objectives approved by Council:
Increase public use of community centres
Collaborate with a wider variety of community partners to provide programming and
activities at each community centre which respond to community and neighbourhood
specific needs
Provide more effective supports to neighbourhood groups (affiliated and non-affiliated)
based on the unique needs of the groups and the individual neighbourhoods they serve
Provide more equitable supports (funding, staff support, materials/equipment) to
affiliated and non-affiliated neighbourhood groups across the City of Kitchener
2020 Pilot Projects at some Community Centres:
Expanded hours
Opening community rooms that can be booked by individual resident groups free of
charge
Still to be Resolved:
d
red tape for neighbourhood groups
How to balance the requests of different groups who are interested in the same space
and time
How to create a system to share resources between neighbourhood groups without
negatively impacting any particular group
How to increase support to neighbourhood groups who are new, establishing, or
experiencing challenges
Next Steps:
January/February Stakeholder engagement
February/March Circulate draft policies and receive feedback
April/May Finalize policy and present to council for approval
Questions/Comments:
1. Is the free space one time only? There is an opportunity for ongoing bookings. Online
booking request. Staff would then contact.
2. How long is the pilot project? No cut off date, however, it will be going back to council
in May in order to update them. If there is any budget impact council would need to be
involved. Pilot projects will likely go until the end of this year. Full implementation in
2021 pending council approval.
3. Is there any thought of a collaboration with the schools (Conestoga College, Wilfrid
Laurier) and the Neighbourhood Associations? Some of the larger associations
already do so, but could definitely be utilized on a larger level.
4. Community Benefits strategy plan (new) may be a source of funding.
Report back on SHORE
A need was identified for access to prenatal physicians in the early stages and prenatal fitness
activities for unplanned pregnancies in the community.
SHORE is a key organization that identified this need and came to a meeting to explain
current barriers, needs, and opportunities
Access to physicians in the early stages:
Options were explored for better access to doctors in early stages of unplanned pregnancy
It was determined there are some lists available but that navigating the system can be
challenging to do
The committee would be interested in writing a letter and including partners like SHORE to
advocate for improvement in access to local doctors for new patients, particularly during
unplanned pregnancy
Prenatal Fitness:
Met with City of Kitchener staff Manager of Aquatics, Denise Keelan and Manager of
Community Centres Steve Roth, to determine a few possibility for going forward for prenatal
fitness
SHORE is working directly with these staff members to determine some options for aqua fit
and prenatal gym activities such as:
Explore the option of an additional prenatal class at Forest Heights pool and potentially
another Kitchener location
Denise will work with staff to identify other low intensity aqua fit classes that would be suitable
and accessible through weekly drop-in at a variety of City of Kitchener pools. This will
hopefully provide more class options for clients.
Denise also thought some swim passes could be discussed for free use of the lane swim
if SHORE clients are interested
Use of room space is likely possible during the afternoon at the Downtown Community Centre
SHORE is still figuring things out, but at the Lyle S. Hallman pool over the next few months
they hope to develop a drop in program with education/recreation for pregnant people and will
be working to add a prenatal yoga program for the community at the DTKCC
2. Diversity committee update
Not well attended likely due to the holidays
Committee members broken up into groups policies etc.
Next meeting middle of January
3. New Business
Federal funding available potentially for the City of Kitchener which could be utilized at the south
end of the city (Fisher Hallman and Williamsburg, Schlegel Park). Council is looking at getting
letters of support and this committee would be an ideal fit. Depending on timing maybe an item on
the next agenda or an email may come from Mark Hildebrand directly if timing is of the essence.
4. Adjournment
On motion, the meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m.
J. McKenzie
Committee Administrator