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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 20, 2021 Draft Minutes/Meeting Summary Accessibility Advisory Committee January 20, 2021 Electronic Meeting 7:00 pm Attendees: Peter Bashaw Dan Hughes Glenn Lang Anthony Lue Megan Thorpe Ross John McLellan, Ajax-Pickering B oard of Trade Tim Higgins, Staff Representative Rumali Perera, Committee Coordinator Guests: Omar McDadi, Parks Canada Larry Noonan, Altona Forest Stewardship Committee Absent: Saima Fatima David Wysocki Item/ Details & Discussion & Conclusion Action Items/Status Ref # (summary of discussion) (include deadline as appropriate) 1. Welcome & Introductions T. Higgins welcomed members and guests to the electronic Committee meeting. 2. Review and Approval of Agenda T. Higgins reviewed the agenda items. Agenda approved. 3. Disclosure of Interest No disclosures of interest were noted. 5. New Business 5.3 Rouge National Urban Park Omar McDadi, Parks Canada, joined the electronic meeting via audio connection, introduced Larry Noonan, Altona Forest Stewardship Committee, and the Rouge Beach Improvements project, noting that Page 1 of 4 Item/ Details & Discussion & Conclusion Action Items/Status Ref # (summary of discussion) (include deadline as appropriate) a key objective of the project is to improve accessibility and inclusion and stated that he was available for questions from the committee. Larry Noonan, Altona Forest Stewardship Committee, joined the electronic meeting t o discuss trail alternatives from Rouge Beach to Glen Rouge Campground. Through t he aid of a P DF presentation he noted: • that the present routes from the beach to the campground were through city streets; • the need for a boardwalk trail through the valley to provide access to majority of the public; • the lack of park connection from the Rouge Beach to the trails to the Oak Ridges Moraine; • the proposed pier feature and its benefits in mitigating flooding and erosion; • issues pertaining to socially created trails such as illegal dumping and safety hazards; and, • economic, social, and environmental benefits of the Rouge Beach Improvement Project. Mr. Noonan concluded his delegation by noting recommendations for immediate action which include the building of a boardwalk trail and the pier feature, the elimination of the public road alternative, the closure of socially created trails, the restoration of the wetland habitat, beach, the removal of invasive species, and t he mitigation of disruptions to the construction of the boardwalk trail. Omar McDadi, Parks Canada, noted that the project would mitigate flooding and erosion, improve accessibility and community connectivity, and respect the rights of the ravine property owners. Mr. Noonan r equested that the Pickering Accessibility Advisory Committee state their support through a letter to Parks Canada. Omar McDadi, Parks Canada, noted that there is much support from organizations for the proposed project and that Page 2 of 4 Item/ Details & Discussion & Conclusion Action Items/Status Ref # (summary of discussion) (include deadline as appropriate) connections to the accessibility community would also be helpful. Members of the Committee noted: • support for the Rouge Beach I mprovement Project; and, • whether there would be a non-motorized boats launch and the need for ramps down to the launch area for accessibility. Moved by P. Bashaw Seconded by A. Lue That the Accessibility Advisory Committee provide a letter to Parks Canada noting their support for the Rouge Beach Improvement Project. Carried 5.1 Service and Support Animals Initiative T. Higgins provided the Committee with an update on the service and support animal initiative, adding that the virtual innovation lab sessions would be taking place on January 28th, February 4th, and F ebruary 18th. T. Higgins noted that the project had experienced delays in receiving r esponse to surveys, noting that the project was now scheduled to complete in May. T. Higgins further provided the members with an overview of the Initiative’s accomplishments and work done to date including the development and marketing of an electronic survey tool. Discussion ensued regarding the length of the survey being a possible factor to the low response rate to the survey, with T. Higgins advising that the survey was designed to be lengthy in order to retrieve the required information for the study. 5.2 Civic Awards T. Higgins surveyed members for possible c omments and nominators. Members noted the recognition of Page 3 of 4 Item/ Details & Discussion & Conclusion Action Items/Status Ref # (summary of discussion) (include deadline as appropriate) the work done by remote educators, and the Care- Monger group dur ing the COVID-19 pandemic. 4. Review and Approval of Minutes - December 16, 2020 Moved by G. Lang Seconded by M. Thorpe Ross That the Minutes of the December 16, 2020 meeting of the Accessibility Advisory Committee be approved. Carried 6. Other Business & Updates 6.1 Member Updates T. Higgins advised that Bianca D’Souza, Sue Wilkinson, and Donna Holmes have resigned from the Pickering Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting, noting their great contribution to the work carried out by the Committee. R. Perera advised the Committee of the process that would be undertaken to recruit three new members of the Committee, adding that the vacancies would be filled by end of March, 2021. 7. Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 8:54 pm. Page 4 of 4