HomeMy WebLinkAboutGRAAC - 2007-09-27
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
Thursday September 27, 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, Frank Groenestege, Gail Brunsdon, Gordon
Cummer, Karen Panchaud and Jennifer Tovell (Interpreters), Rosa Bustamante (GBESC),
Leigh Golden, Councillor Jane Mitchell, Councillor Kelly Galloway, Ana Popa, Val Hummel,
Lori Ludwig, Kelly Steiss, Linda Pretty (Recorder)
PRESENT (OTHERS): Tanja Curic and Cathy Matyas
REGRETS (MEMBERS): James Hunsberger
REGRETS (OTHERS): Councillor Karen Scian, Linda Chamberlain (WLU), Darryl Denny
(North Dumfries), Dave Heuchert (Wellesley)
ABSENT WITHOUT REGRETS: n/a
1.0 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Taposhi welcomed everyone to the September meeting.
2.0 APPROVAL OF JUNE MINUTES AND REVIEW OF SEPTEMBER AGENDA
?The minutes of the June meeting were circulated late and will be reviewed at the
October meeting. All were in favour; carried.
?A couple of additions were made to the agenda, following which a motion was
made by Chris Douglas, seconded by Sharon Giles, to adopt the September
agenda. All were in favour; carried.
3.0NEW BUSINESS
3.1 Delegation: Taxi Accessibility – Sharon Ward-Zeller
Sharon shared information about an incident wherein she was refused service by a
United Taxi driver because she had a dog with her. Sharon explained to the driver
that she is blind and her dog is a guide dog, but the driver still refused and left her
alone on the street to be picked up later by a wheelchair accessible van.
Councillor Mitchell noted that several incidents such as this were reported over the
summer necessitating a letter to be sent to the cab company by the Regional By-Law
Department.
Drivers who refuse service to people seem to be ignorant of the fact that they are in
contravention of laws as well as of human rights. GRAAC members suggested that
taxi drivers be advised to take sensitivity training as part of licensing qualifications
and to ensure they are aware of both the laws and of human rights.
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September 2007 - GRAAC Minutes
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
Thursday September 27, 2007
A motion was made by Sharon Giles, seconded by Saul, to support Sharon in sending
a letter to the Region of Waterloo Licensing and Retail Department (Marty Sawdon).
The letter will be copied to all councillors in Kitchener and Waterloo. All were in
favour; carried.
3.2 City of Waterloo Official Plan Overview – Tanja Curic
Tanja, a Policy Planner with the City of Waterloo, gave a PowerPoint Presentation on
the Official Plan Review Process and requested feedback from GRAAC. The Official
Plan, which is a municipality’s guiding document, will go to Waterloo Council in
November for final approval of the objectives.
ACTION: Members are asked to send any further responses to
Taposhi/Sharon W-Z by October 11, who will forward to Kelly to co-
ordinate and send to Tanja by October 25.
3.3 Waterloo Public Library Update – Cathy Matyas
Cathy attended to update GRAAC on happenings at the Waterloo Public Library.
?The Built Environment Sub-Committee toured the main library’s public washroom
and provided input on planned renovations. A local architect will be hired with a
deadline projected to the end of 2007.
?The recent accessibility audit is being used by the library to help develop a work
plan and aid in the capital budget planning for 2008.
?An “enunciator” system will be installed in the library’s elevators by the end of the
year.
?A signage project is underway to replace/create signage where needed by the
end of 2007.
?The library is purchasing new equipment to allow anyone reading audiobooks to
stop and start at the same place.
?Although in a “holding pattern” at the moment awaiting response from the
Ministry on an environmental assessment, preliminary designs for the new library
to be located on the west side of Waterloo have been done and are ready to go
to Council. When approved, more detailed designs will be drafted.
Cathy was thanked and left the meeting.
3.4Revised GRAAC Terms of Reference - Val
Val reviewed the Terms of Reference which were updated by regional, city and
township staffs and circulated to all Clerks Departments for comments. GRAAC
members were asked to endorse the revised Terms of Reference which will then be
taken to the various Councils for approval. As scheduled organizations no longer
attend GRAAC meetings and do not contribute to the GRAAC budget, any reference
to them has been omitted. If this changes, the scheduled orgs can be reinstated.
Legislation doesn’t mandate that these organizations have to come to GRAAC.
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September 2007 - GRAAC Minutes
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
Thursday September 27, 2007
Chris objected to deleting the scheduled organizations and Saul asked that a letter
be sent to the scheduled organizations advising them of the decision and to let them
know GRAAC is there if they want to participate.
A motion was made to (1) endorse the amendments made to the Terms of Reference
at the September 27 GRAAC meeting and (2) send a letter to the scheduled
organizations advising them of the changes. Eight members were in favour of the
motion and one was opposed. The motion was carried.
3.5 King Street Master Plan – Kelly Galloway
In response to a member’s informal comments regarding wheeling down the
interlocking brick sections of Kitchener’s King Street, Councillor Kelly Galloway
informed GRAAC members that the King Street Master Plan is ready for public
comment and that this would be a good time for GRAAC to give input on the
accessibility of road surfaces and treatments as well as to the overall plan.
3.6Road Work in Kitchener – Carol Moogk-Soulis
?Carol wanted to commend the City of Kitchener in how the municipality deals with
accessibility to homes when road work is being done in a neighbourhood. Kelly
Steiss helped Carol to connect with Jim Oakley in the Engineering Department to
ensure that Carol’s parents could get in and out of their house while work was
being done on the road in front of their house.
3.7 Staff Change Update – Lori Ludwig
?Since 1988, the City of Waterloo purchases inclusion services from the City of
Kitchener to serve Waterloo residents. To date, Lori has been working with
Inclusion Services, AODA/ODA, for Waterloo and Kelly Steiss, for Kitchener.
Kitchener and Waterloo discussed sharing a staff position for AODA/ODA/Joint
Plan and concluded that Kelly will represent both Kitchener and Waterloo.
Therefore, Lori will not be attending GRAAC meeting from now on. Taposhi
presented Lori with a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of committee
members.
4.0OTHER BUSINESS
4.1 Co-chair Report
4.1.1 Member Resignation Update – Sharon Ward-Zeller
?Mary Beth Hunter has resigned from GRAAC. Recruitment for GRAAC
membership will take place in the fall. A motion was made by Gord to send a
letter of thanks to Mary Beth. All were in favour; carried.
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September 2007 - GRAAC Minutes
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
Thursday September 27, 2007
4.1.2Meeting Refreshment Update – Sharon Ward-Zeller
Members discussed refreshments for the GRAAC meetings; suggestions were as
follows:
?Change from bottles of water to pitchers of water.
?Provide mugs.
?Request plates and cups and not disposable materials.
ACTION: Kelly to cost out the various snack options for GRAAC meetings.
4.1.3GRAAC Council Presentation – Sharon Ward-Zeller
?Sharon and Taposhi attended Kitchener council’s Community Services Committee
(CSC), together with the Kitchener Downtown Healthy Centre seniors’ advisory
group regarding snow clearance in Kitchener.
?Council was supportive of directing staff to provide further report about the
possibility of clearing all sidewalks, as requested by the GRAAC delegation.
?Kelly Galloway commented that a feasibility report has been requested.
4.1.4AODA Response Update – Taposhi
?Met in July, along with Transportation Sub-Committee members, to co-ordinate a
consensus response to the AODA transportation standards.
?Taposhi is able to send members a full copy of the response upon request.
?GRAAC supported the proposed standard only in part, mainly because there were
several important points in the standards that were missing or fell far short of
what should be required.
?Sent in the submission by the end of August, even though the deadline was later
extended to September.
4.1.5Bad Weather Policy/Regrets Policy
Deferred.
4.2Sub-Committee Reports
4.2.1 Transit Sub-Committee (GTSC)
?September 12 meeting reviewed accomplishments since the beginning of the
GTSC.
?Dialogue was listed as the biggest strength.
?Education was huge factor, and mutual in that both staff and members learned
from each other.
?The committee reviewed issues, especially those which required followup.
?Preparing a new priority list to submit to GRAAC
?Plan to meet every 2 months, with the next meeting in November.
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September 2007 - GRAAC Minutes
Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC)
Thursday September 27, 2007
4.2.2Built Environment Sub-Committee
?Reviewed the Waterloo Public Library.
?As well, review included washrooms and site plans for the proposed West side
branch.
?Last meeting included “Site Plan 101”, a helpful presentation.
?King Street Master Plan is on the table as well as a field trip on October 1.
5.0ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Chris, seconded by Sharon Giles, to adjourn the meeting at
3:50 p.m. The next meeting will be held on Thursday October 25 in the Conestoga
Room from 1:30-4:00 p.m.
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September 2007 - GRAAC Minutes