HomeMy WebLinkAboutGRACC - 2025-06-26 II t NE
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
Committee Minutes
June 26, 2025, 1:30 p.m.
Waterloo City Hall - Erb Room - Hybrid
City of Waterloo
100 Regina Street South, Waterloo, ON N2J 4P9
Present: T. Cooper, Co-Chair (Wat Rep)
A. Clelland, Co-Chair (Kit Rep)
H. Clark-Harris (Kit Rep)
C. Speers (Kit Rep)
T. McQuillin (Wat Rep)
H. Gillespie (Wat Rep)
K. Waybrant (Kit Rep)
F. Saleh (Wat Rep)
D. Fish (Wellesley Rep)
Councillor S. Stretch, Non-Voting (Kit)
Councillor S. Hanmer, Non-Voting (Wat)
Councillor C. Huinink, Non-Voting (Region of Waterloo)
Staff: A. Ross, Staff Rep (Waterloo)
A.Kirchin, Staff Rep (Woolwich)
A. Good, Staff Rep (North Dumfries)
J. Walker, Staff Rep (Region of Waterloo)
L. Paroski, Staff Rep (Kitchener)
J. McKenzie, Committee Administrator (Kitchener)
1. Commencement
The Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee held a meeting this date
commencing at 1:30 p.m.
1.1 Land Acknowledgement
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We would like to begin by acknowledging the land on which we gather today,
recognizing that the land in which we gather today is the traditional territory of the
Haudenosaunee, Anishnawbe and Chonnonton peoples. We would also like to
acknowledge the enduring knowledge, presence and deep-rooted traditions of the
First Nations, Metis and Inuit who continue to enrich our community to this day.
2. Minutes for Approval
That the minutes of the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
meeting held May 22nd, 2025, as circulated to the members, be accepted.
3. Disclosures of Pecuniary Interests
4. Delegations
5. Discussion Items
5.1 Roll Call - Introductions
5.2 The Built Environment Sub Committee Report
City of Kitchener
• Portable lift for Harry Class pool
o Staff have chosen the Mighty Voyager— It fits the location well.
o Hoping to have it this season
• Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex gym
o The gym will include basketball and volleyball
Region of Waterloo
• Work being done at 150 Frederick Street
o Repaving and reconstruction of front entrance, comments from this
committee were incorporated in the redesign
City of Waterloo
• Fountain Street sidewalks
o Confirmation 1 .5 metres on one side, other side will be 1 .5 meres if
possible
• Student Reports
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o Audit report done, entered into the upgrade matrix
• FADS session
o Quite a few things were confirmed, but may need to meet again
5.3 Albert McCormick Community Centre
Heather Liddycoat, Manager, Capital Program and Project Management,
Facilities Design and Management Services, City of Waterloo presented on this
matter.
• Received grant money from the province - more accessible additions to be
added to the space
• Any thought given to tactile strips guidance to the universal washroom and
Library, yes as well as community space and service desk
• Difference between barrier and universal washroom — larger turning radius
and lift
• Sensory room — where are you getting the ideas? Various staff trips to
other municipalities to check out other spaces. Sunbeam Centre has a
great example of a sensory room
• Tactile maps for all bathrooms, not just accessible washrooms
5.4 GRT update
Renee Fonte, Assistant Manager, Customer Experience, Ben Singer, Assistant
Manager, Transit Operations, Howard Chang, Supervisor, Transit Development,
Region of Waterloo updated the committee on the GRT.
• Panel update
• Panel participants have been chosen — 367 participants + 15 participants
pending — diverse group across the Region of Waterloo
• Surveys in the next couple of weeks will be sent out for feedback
• Conestoga and University of Waterloo station update
• Tactile strip looks like it stops before the curb? Upgrading platforms in the
future — concentrate on where buses are parked. Yellow edges may not
be seen by everyone —tactile strips would be best
• Ticket machine at the platform —touch screen or tactile? Partly touch
screen and partly tactile
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• Video calls are not available currently, audio capability is an option
• Feeback before construction can alleviate future issues — future projects
• Cross walk should maybe only have two plates — one on each end instead
of all the way across to avoid confusion —just a drawing, not indicative of
the final outcome — will only have the two tactile plates
• Major crosswalks do not have curb cuts from the mall to the bus station,
safer if they were — not part of the scope of this project but will keep in
mind for future improvement projects
• Tactile maps/maps indicating where each bus is located and where they
are going — there is a plan to add illuminated maps inside the station
• Could the path be wider or delineate the walking path, so that passengers
waiting do not cover the path if waiting outside the shelter. Shelters are to
be made smaller, reducing the length, in order to make more space for the
walking path
• Continuous shelter in order to shelter people from the rain, when walking
from the mall — land belongs to the mall, not always possible
• Width of the station is too small — can it be wider, extend the island —
limited in what can be done as the island is not changing
• Is there a reason why an automatic door cannot be included at both
stations, in the winter it is very cold? Maintenance is a factor.
Friday moves to motion that this committee write a letter to the GRT staff
outlining the committee's concerns regarding the new renovations of the
Conestoga station, making the station more inaccessible. Teresa seconded
the motion. All in favour. Carried
Friday & Dave to start the letter and circulate over email for feedback from the
rest of the committee —forward to both GRT & Chair of Sustainability and
Infrastructure
5.5 Taxi By-law
Nora Emtesali, Lobbyist Registry & Policy Program Advisor, Region of Waterloo
presented the updates to the Taxi By-law.
• Last reviewed in 2016
• Conversation around areas of improvement - Engage Waterloo and other
public engagement
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• Fleet size from 7% to 9%
• Incentives for drivers to have vehicles on the road overnight
• Penalties for drivers who are putting passengers safety at risk
• Confirm that the new vans will have wider ramps? There is one company
that provides accessible vans — will take question back to the company
• Fee is increasing — 7 cents from each trip would go into the accessible
fund in order to support accessible vans in the fleet, from the companies
that do not have them available
• Incentives for drivers would be getting the monies owed quicker from the
Region
• Driver training process —various accessibility needs shared in the training
6. Recess and Reconvene
GRAAC then recessed and reconvened.
7. Discussion Items (Cont'd)
7.1 Victoria Park Master Plan
Karen Leasa, Landscape Architect and Meghan McKinnon, Parks Engagement
Liaison, City of Kitchener presented on this matter.
Comments/Feedback
• All of the swings are not accessible
• Variety of swings — different heights
• Accessible parking
• Universal washroom — ceiling lift and adult change table
• Swings that wheelchairs can actually utilize
• Additional use in the park conflicts with special events
• Map/Signage/Communication board in various different ways — wayfinding
strategy
• 1 think it would be a good idea to raise the crossing paths to make it more
obvious to drivers that they're entering a pedestrian zone. This kind of
design could improve both safety and accessibility, especially for people
using mobility devices.
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• It would be good to have allocated drop-off spaces if there aren't already
ones there!
• I don't have any specific spot recommendations but definitely provide
multiple options with identifiers. (Pickup Spot a, b, c, etc.)
• Are there accessible design standards for parks?DOPS applies here
(Design of Outdoor Public Spaces) -AODA applies
• Related to nature: I think it would be great to include descriptions of edible
trees, like serviceberries, along with plant wisdom shared in partnership
with Indigenous Elders or groups like Willow River Centre. It's a way to
honour both the land and local knowledge. (If it has not already been
done)
• In a manner which is accessible to all folks
• 1 think the way finding should extend into the community too. A fun way to
get people to come
7.2 Accessibility Policy
Amy Ross, Accessibility Advocate, City of Waterloo presented on this matter.
Suggested updates
• Add detail to policy statement
• Strengthening scope
• Add/Adjust definitions
• Add detail to training
• Add design of public spaces
• Employment sections
Comments/Feedback
• If you feel like things are missing, please bring them back to Amy
• Any feedback, staff will bring back in the fall
7.3 Alternative Snow Clearing
Emma Goulding, Project Assistant, Co-op, and Amy Ross, Accessibility
Advocate, City of Waterloo, and Aaron Broverman, community member
presented on this matter.
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Comments/Feedback
• Three Priorities
• First - Emergency funding
• Second -Awareness campaign
• Third — Materials
• Need more funds
• Great ideas and initiatives
• 1 hope that centering stories at the heart of the project will be important to
uplift the lived experiences of folks with disabilities.
7.4 Website
Deb Bergey, Manager, Community Engagement and Jennifer Walker, Program
Manager, Resident Experience, Region of Waterloo presented on this matter.
Comments/Feedback
• Is there an ability to download the page as a pdf?
• This would be especially important, especially when there are dropdown
menus
• 1 found it fairly easy except for one but I'm forgetting what it was. It
seemed fairly straightforward though
• Audio would be helpful
• To add on: often times there are websites with articles that have an audio
version "podcast" incorporated into it, so it might also be generally feasible
and in line with other industry standards.
• Also, the ability to use a screen reader without it being jumbled text. I'll
have to try that myself because I was doing it on my phone and wasn't
using a screen reader at the time
8. Information Items
9. Adjournment
Please send regrets to Janis McKenzie - man is.mckenzie(a-)kitchener.ca
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Next Regular Meeting - September 25th, 2025, at 1:30pm, Hybrid
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