HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember 13, 2019
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Minutes/Meeting Summary
Accessibility Advisory Committee
November 13, 2019
7:00 pm
Main Committee Room
Attendees: Peter Bashaw
Bianca D’Souza
Donna Holmes
Saima Fatima
Glenn Lang
John McLellan, Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade
Megan Thorpe Ross
Sue Wilkinson
David Wysocki
Tim Higgins, Staff Representative
Renée Michaud, Recording Secretary
Rumali Perera, (Acting) Committee Coordinator
Absent: Dan Hughes
Anthony Lue
Guests: Pat O’Reilly, Visitor Experience Projects Planning Manager, Parks Canada
Kaitlyn Chow, Parks Canada
Nancy Heath, Pickering Resident
Arnold Mostert, Senior Coordinator, Landscape & Parks Development, City of
Pickering
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1. Welcome & Introductions
T. Higgins welcomed members and other participants
to the meeting. Introductions made around the table.
S. Fatima provided an update on the DRPS 35th
Annual Children’s Games, the Regional Accessibility
Awards annual dinner, and the Remembrance Day
AAC wreath laying. As well, S. Fatima extended an
invitation to the AAC Members to attend a Holiday
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Lunch at the Pickering Islamic Centre on Sunday,
December 8th.
2. Disclosure of Interest
a. No disclosures of interest were noted.
3. Review & Approval of Agenda
a. T. Higgins reviewed the agenda items. Agenda
approved.
4. 4 Review and Approval of Minutes
- October 9, 2019
a. Moved by G. Lang
Seconded by B. D’Souza
That the Minutes of the October 9, 2019 meeting of
the Accessibility Advisory Committee be approved.
Carried
5. 4 New Business
5.1 Parks Canada Collaboration
P. O’Reilly and K. Chow appeared before the
committee to provide information on the Rouge Park.
The Rouge National Urban Park is the first national
urban park in the country and the only park to have
access to public transit. The role of the park is to be a
gateway park to national parks. The park works
closely with Indigenous groups, farmers and
environmental groups and will strive to protect its
natural and strong agricultural heritage. The park
provides training programs on canoeing, hiking,
camping and other park activities.
K.Chow provided information on trails and the
accessibility of Rouge Park. K. Chow advised that
trail heads will have signage on the trail standards
allowing individuals to assess and decide the difficulty
level. The trails will be constructed with crushed
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sandstone which is intended to allow access for
cyclists and walkers.
Discussions ensued regarding wheel trans for
seniors, rest areas, power stations to charge
wheelchairs, and accessibility for visually/cognitively
impaired individuals.
A. Mostert appeared before the committee to provide
information on the Seaton Neighbourhood Connector
Trails.
The Seaton community was originally planned with a
Three-tier approach for a trail networking system:
Primary Neighbourhood Connecting Trails, Primary
Recreation Trails, and Secondary Recreation T rails.
At this time the City and TRCA are reviewing only the
location and design of the Primary Neighbourhood
Connecting Trails. A number of the planned trails
have been deleted or relocated due to the extreme
conditions and sensitive areas encountered in these
locations.
The current plan is that the neighbourhood connector
trails will be approximately 3.0m wide, asphalt
surfaced, with lighting for night time use, suitable for
maintenance & emergency vehicles, winter
maintenance, and accessibility.
Based on the topography and natural features on
site, meeting the Exterior Path of Travel requirements
of the AODA is going to be nearly impossible in some
locations without significant tree removal and
regrading of the land.
A. Mostert noted that the City is making best efforts to
meet Exterior Path of Travel requirements where the
existing terrain permits:
5% slope or less where possible
Ramps at 8% slope (maximum 10% in
extreme cases)
On ramp areas, provide level rest areas at
9.0m intervals with seating
T. Higgins to invite Rouge
Canada for further
discussions in February.
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Provide handrails on one or both sides of
ramps where possible, particularly on the
downhill side of the path where there is a drop-
off
Centre handrails are not possible due to the
requirement for winter maintenance and
emergency vehicle access
5.2 2019 AODA Compliance Reporting and
5- Year Accessibility Plan Review
T. Higgins reviewed each of the 21 questions
contained in the 2019 Accessibility Compliance
Report and discussed potential responses to these
questions for member consideration. T. Higgins
advised that, on the whole, the City of Pickering is in
compliance and often goes beyond minimum AODA
requirements. The AAC provides advice to the City of
Pickering in meeting and exceeding compliance
where possible.
T. Higgins directed Members to pages 10, 11, 12, 13,
14 and, 15 of the current 5-Year Plan to
consider/suggest appropriate update disclosures.
T. Higgins noted that consultations and development
on the new 5-Year Accessibility Plan will begin early
2020.
D. Wysocki stated that City of Surrey has a strong
and creative Accessibility Plan.
5.3 Service & Support Animal Initiative – Status
T. Higgins noted that this is an exciting project that
potentially will attract funding support from the
Province of Ontario. This is the first time that this type
of partnership has been established between the
Province of Ontario and a municipality. The City of
Pickering will take leadership of this initiative. T.
Higgins noted as well as the specific project
deliverables, that this initiative will inform subsequent
policy development work by the Province.
Members to review the
questions contained in the
2019 Accessibility
Compliance Report, as well
as status the 5- Year
Accessibility Plan and
provide comments to T.
Higgins to inform reporting.
D. Wysocki to provide
information to members
regarding the City of Surrey
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5.4 Strengthening Inclusive Culture in Durham
N. Heath, a Pickering Resident with visual
challenges, appeared before the committee to
discuss her meeting with the Mayor on strengthening
inclusive culture in Durham.
N. Heath discussed negative personal experiences
surrounding disability and public interactions. She
discussed the lack of education surrounding disability
in society and the resulting issue of alienation from
the public.
This topic resonated with a number of the AAC
members and who provided further examples of
exclusive behaviours they had experienced.
Further discussions considered opportunities to
enhance society’s inclusion of disabled individuals.
T. Higgins noted that this could be an opportunity to
partner with other municipalities to shift the culture on
disability.
5.5 Event Training Resources
T. Higgins noted that Canada’s W onderland has
developed and published a great training tool on their
website with respect to accessibility standards.
This type of detailed webpage could inform a
training/orientation tool to be developed by the City of
Pickering for working with external contractors.
T. Higgins to create a
working session on what
AAC could do to grow a
more inclusive culture and
partner with other
municipalities to champion
such a cultural shift.
6. Other Business & Updates
6.1 Residential Accessibility Standards
S. Wilkinson enquired about the possibility of making
a motion to Council regarding the lack of accessible
and affordable housing in Pickering.
R. Michaud noted that there may already be a parallel
motion to Council on affordable housing that could be
used as a model write-up.
R. Michaud to provide a
copy of the affordable
housing motion to T. Higgins
for distribution to members.
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6.2 Member Updates
P. Bashaw noted that Participation House Durham is
creating a program to train individuals with a
disabilities to acquire work skills.
S. Wilkinson noted some City sidewalks that require
snow clearing.
D. Holmes noted that the Durham College is currently
working on welcoming service dogs.
J. McLellan noted that he will be sharing a recap of
the discussions from this AAC meeting with his
coworkers.
A. Mostert noted that a lack of sidewalks on Kingston
Road is due to the future reconstruction of the road
by DRT. Pending reconstruction, the City is looking
into creating interim accessibility solutions
T. Higgins reviewed the meeting dates schedule for
2020.
Moved by S. Wilkinson
Seconded by D. Holmes
Carried
6.3 December AAC Festive Meet & Greet
T. Higgins noted that the AAC’s annual festive Meet
& Greet will be held on December 11, 2019 around
6:00 pm in the Main Committee Room.
7. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 9:15 pm
:rp
Copy: City Clerk