HomeMy WebLinkAboutGRAAC - 2007-06-28
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
Thursday June 28, 2007 Kitchener City Hall, Conestoga Room
PRESENT: Sharon Ward-Zeller (Co-Chair), Taposhi Batabyal (Co-Chair), Sharon Giles, Carol
Moogk-Soulis, Brad Ullner, Chris Douglas, Leigh Golden, Councillor Jane Mitchell, Councillor
Kelly Galloway, Ana Popa, Kelly Steiss, Linda Pretty (Recorder)
PRESENT (OTHERS): Rosa Bustamante, Sabaon Weera (CNIB)
REGRETS (MEMBERS): Gail Brunsdon, James Hunsberger, Marybeth Hunter, Gordon
Cummer
REGRETS (OTHERS): Councillor Ian McLean, Linda Chamberlain (WLU), Darryl Denny
(North Dumfries), Val Hummel, Lori Ludwig
ABSENT WITHOUT REGRETS: Frank Groenestege, Dave Heuchert (Wellesley)
1.0 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Sharon welcomed everyone to the June meeting.
2.0 APPROVAL OF MAY MINUTES AND REVIEW OF JUNE AGENDA
?A motion was made by Taposhi, seconded by Chris Douglas, to accept the
minutes of the May meeting. All were in favour; carried.
?A motion was made by Saul, seconded by Carol, to adopt the June agenda. All
were in favour; carried.
3.0GUEST: Steve LaRochelle, Region of Waterloo
3.1 Region of Waterloo Emergency Planning – Steve LaRochelle
Steve LaRochelle reviewed a PowerPoint Presentation of the Region’s Emergency
plan.
?In the case of an incident, each municipality has a plan and a Co-ordinator
responsible for implementation of the plan.
?Emphasis is placed on personal preparedness and community responsibility.
Neither the municipalities nor the Region are unable to look after individuals – it
is up to neighbours to check on people who might need help.
?The difficulty with drafting a list of people with disabilities would be using labels
as a way to identify them, and could possibly pose a security risk. Also, it would
be hard to keep the list up-to-date as people move, etc.
?Everyone should have an emergency plan for themselves and their family and
supplies put away, just in case.
?Members were given copies of an emergency-preparedness booklet specifically
geared to various disabilities.
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June 2007 - GRAAC Minutes
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
Thursday June 28, 2007
Steve will attend another GRAAC meeting to talk about the Region’s plan in the case
of a pandemic.
4.0CO-CHAIR REPORT – Sharon Ward-Zeller
4.1 City of Waterloo Parking Strategy
Sharon encouraged members to attend a public information session that will be held
on July 5 from 6-9 p.m. at the Waterloo Rec Complex on the Uptown Waterloo
Parking Strategy.
4.2 AAC Training Day Overview
Sharon told members that the Training Day for area AAC’s was very worthwhile,
especially a presentation by keynote speaker Jerry Enns on Advocacy, and how to
relate to committee members and others by examining how communication occurs
(i.e., it is both verbal and non-verbal) and how to identify the ways in which people
learn and relate to the world around them.
4.3Volunteer for Council Presentation Preparation
Sharon asked for volunteers to help with the wording in preparing presentations to
Councils.
ACTION: Rosa and Chris volunteered to help to prepare GRAAC
presentations to municipal Councils.
4.4Summer Meeting Schedule
ACTION: The July GRAAC meeting is cancelled. The Co-Chairs will advise
members about the August meeting via e-mail, after polling members to
see who will be available to attend that meeting.
4.5 Final Membership List
ACTION: Linda will circulate an updated membership list.
4.6 AODA Transportation Standards
Sharon Giles and Sharon Ward-Zeller will organize a special meeting for GRAAC
members regarding feedback from the AODA Transportation standards. Members
who will be unable to attend are welcome to send comments via e-mail as
individuals.
4.7Snow Meeting
Taposhi and Sharon, along with Brad and Sharon Giles, attended a meeting
regarding snow removal in Waterloo. Overwhelmingly, the public did not want to
pay a levy to have the City clear their sidewalks and opted to clear them themselves
according to a previous survey conducted by staff.
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June 2007 - GRAAC Minutes
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
Thursday June 28, 2007
But this is not happening – sidewalks are not being cleared. Staff will be looking at
several strategies. It was suggested at that meeting that municipal staff attend a
GRAAC meeting in the fall with an update.
5.0NEW BUSINESS
5.1 Focus Group re: Website Content
?GRAAC members were asked for input on the content of the proposed GRAAC
website, deciding what the group wants to say to anyone who accesses the
website.
Results of Discussion:
?Purpose of the website
Raise awareness
o
Increase the public profile
o
Educate people about disability
o
?Tone
Tool to bring members to the committee
o
Informative
o
?The public needs to be able to e-mail the site for feedback, submit questions,
post comments, subject to GRAAC terms of reference. Contact information should
be used to bring forward feedback
?Clearly identify what GRAAC does, how GRAAC accomplishes its tasks/mandate
?How GRAAC might help the public and what GRAAC can actually do to help with
the problem (i.e., what it is mandated to do)
?Explain the geography. Have a map
?List of achievements
?Pictures (subject to copyright requirements)
?Meeting times and dates; minutes; agendas; presentation material
?Advertise planned discussion topics
?Have a bulletin board
Ensure that GRAAC/website is positioned that GRAAC isn’t obligated to
o
respond necessarily to each and every comment
Have a disclaimer
o
?Sentence at the end “We encourage you to …” to invite participation
?Add links – to regional and municipal accessibility plans
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June 2007 - GRAAC Minutes
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
Thursday June 28, 2007
6.0OTHER BUSINESS
6.1 Sub-Committee Reports
6.1.1 Built Environment (G-BESC)
?City Planner, Jennifer Young, attended the June 18 meeting, to talk about the
Ontario Building Code, helping the group to understand legislation.
?G-BESC will be asked for input regarding the upcoming Victoria Park Pavilion
renovation.
?Kelly asked GRAAC members to approve the Terms of Reference, which have
been amended following the April GRAAC meeting.
A motion was made by Chris, seconded by Taposhi, to approve the G-BESC
Terms of Reference. All were in favour; the motion was carried.
A motion was made by Chris, seconded by Brad, to nominate Rosa Bustamante as
a member of G-BESC. All were in favour. A motion was made by Brad, seconded
by Chris, to nominate Paula Saunders as a member of G-BESC. The majority
were in favour. The motions were carried.
6.1.2Transportation (GTSC)
?The Transportation Sub-Committee met with staff from the cities of Kitchener and
Waterloo to discuss parking issues, with input from the Region through Ana Popa.
?The July and August meetings of the sub-committee are cancelled.
6.1.3 Other
The Co-Chairs will draft a letter to the townships asking that they provide plans for
snow clearing, parking and fire emergency plans to GRAAC.
7.0ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
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June 2007 - GRAAC Minutes