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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 11, 2024 Page 1 of 6 Minutes/Meeting Summary Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee April 11, 2024 Electronic Meeting Main Committee Room 7:00 pm Attendees: A. Rizvi C. Bamford D. Magagna J. Larendowicz A. Muhammad P. Patel C. Paxton L. Appelbohm M. Kenworthy M. Eskins, DARS Inc. Councillor S. Butt E. Knox, Community Safety and Well Being Advisor (Staff Liaison) J. Currie, Legislative Coordinator (Recording Secretary) Absent: K. Hamilton Item/ Details & Discussion & Conclusion Ref # (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) Welcome and Land Acknowledgement 1. Review and Approval of Agenda The Committee reviewed the agenda. Agenda approved. 2. Disclosure of Interest No disclosures of interest were noted. 3. Approval of Minutes -C~of- P1CKER1NG Page 2 of 6 Item/ Details & Discussion & Conclusion Ref # (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) Moved by C. Bamford That the Minutes of the February 8, 2024, Meeting of the Community Safety & Well Being Advisory Committee be approved. Carried 4. Delegations/Presentations None 5. New Business 5.1 Community Safety & Well-Being Final Plan - Update E. Knox provided an update on the Community Safety & Well- Being (CSWB) Plan highlighting that local artist Daniel Davis has been secured as the official artist of the CSWB Final Plan. She noted that the CSWB Final Plan would go to the May 6, 2024, Executive Committee meeting and invited members to provide a delegation at the Executive Committee meeting. Discussion ensued with Committee Members regarding: • the benefit and impact of a delegation presented by Committee Members; • the delegation being a means to show the Committees visibility and involvement with the community; and, • committee members meeting to organize a presentation for the delegation at the May 6, 2024, Executive Council Meeting. 5.2 Homelessness Subcommittee E. Knox noted that the Homelessness Subcommittee Mandate was provided to Council and has been included in the meeting Agenda. Moved by C. Bamford That the Homelessness Subcommittee Composition be amended to include three Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Committee Members. Carried Committee Members to Delegate at the May 6, 2024, Executive Council Meeting, speaking to the CSWB Final Plan. Page 3 of 6 Moved by C. Bamford That C. Paxton, P. Patel, and A. Muhammad, be appointed to the Homelessness Subcommittee. Carried 5.3 Community Safety & Crime Prevention Sessions E. Knox provided that a Community Safety Session has been planned with Durham Region Police Services (DRPS) for May 8, 2024, in the Chestnut Hill Developments (CHD) Recreation Complex from 7-9 pm, in partnership with Pickering West Shore Community Association and Fairport Beach Neighbourhood Association. The focus of the Session will be Auto Theft. E. Knox noted that DRPS, Crime Prevention Officer Darryl Rice, currently provides four sessions focusing on the following topics: • Personal/home & travel safety • Anti-bullying and cyber bullying • Online safety • Fraud and scam awareness (including door-to-door sales gimmicks) E. Knox provided that there is an opportunity to provide additional Community Safety Sessions and solicited Committee Members to provide input regarding safety topics for four additional sessions. Discussion ensued among Committee Members regarding: • flyers regarding the first Community Safety Session scheduled for May 8, 2024, being reviewed by the DRPS prior to release; • providing notice and advertising the Sessions through an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) lens, ensuring messaging is accessible and reaching a broad spectrum of communities; • concerns around senior residents and residents who may experience language barriers being susceptible to fraud; • exploring various methods of information dissemination to ensure a broad demographic of Pickering residents are receiving pertinent information; • aligning the Sessions to compliment work that is already occurring such as intimate partner violence being declared an epidemic by the Province; • there being a separate lens for business safety in reference to personal/home & travel safety; • adding hate crimes as a topic for inquiry; Page 4 of 6 Item/ Ref # Details & Discussion & Conclusion (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) • formulating the Sessions to best fit the community, including who is invited to present and methods used to present to the public; • policies around recording the Sessions; and, • aligning Session topics with seasonal relevance: o June – fraud and scam awareness, o September – anti bullying/cyber bullying; online, safety; internet safety & child exploitation, and, o November – intimate partner violence. E. Knox provided a flyer for the 55+ Aging Well Together: Spotlight Series. An Information Expo is being held Friday, April 26, 2024, 10:30 am – 3:00 pm at the CHD Recreation Complex. 5.4 Community Safety Zone – Re: Westshore Boulevard E. Knox provided a summary of the steps required to designate Westshore Boulevard as a Community Safety Zone and that the area being discussed is near a school and two different pedestrian crossings. Discussion ensued among Committee Members regarding: • that the request be amended to include a speed reduction along West shore Boulevard, south from Surf Avenue, up to and including, Beach Point Promenade; • clarification that Community Safety Zones implement tighter restrictions on speed and speed enforcement; and, • what the normal procedure of designating an area as a Community Safety Zone is. Moved by C. Bamford • That the Community Safety & Well-Being Advisory Committee recommends that the West Shore Boulevard be designated as a Community Safety Zone; • That the Community Safety & Well-Being Advisory Committee recommends a speed limit reduction along West shore Boulevard, south from Surf Avenue, up to and including, Beach Point Promenade; and, • That further to the recommendation of the Community Safety and Well-Being Committee, that Council be requested to direct staff to consider this request and provide a report with recommendations. Carried E. Knox to provide a report to Council regarding the Community Safety Zone resolution. Page 5 of 6 5.5 Neighbourhood Watch Update E. Knox provided that she, accompanied by M. Murray, Manager, Community Services Administration & Strategic Initiatives and M. Cain, Supervisor, Safety, Security & Well- Being, attended a meeting with Durham Region Police Services (DRPS) Staff Sergeant A. Hoover, Pickering West Shore Community Association, Fairport Beach Neighbourhood Association, South Rosebank Good Neighbours, and Rougemount Community and Recreation Association to review the status of Neighbourhood Watch. E. Knox noted two themes that emerged concerning what Neighbourhood Associations required from DRPS to feel supported in the Community: 1. The provision of more effective and easily accessible communication to see broader trends in their community. 2. More access and support for what the community should look out for/training being offered currently and support for Safety Education Sessions in the future. She also noted that Neighbourhood Watch signage will not be removed or added prior to a final decision regarding the future of the Neighbourhood Watch. Discussion ensued with Committee Members regarding: • a brief summary of the history of Pickering’s Neighbourhood Watch process; • the benefit of utilizing the current Neighborhood Watch for dissemination of information; • the South Rosebank Good Neighbours website outlining the Neighbourhood Watch program; • the Community Safety & Well-Being Advisory Committee playing a central role in establishing a community watch communication structure; • Neighbourhood Watch needing to evolve with the changing times including technology and growing populations and acknowledge the different needs of different neighbourhoods; • there being strict regulations concerning collection and release of information to ensure safety and protection of personal privacy; and, • concerns of misinterpretations and the possibility of empowering those with ulterior intentions. Page 6 of 6 Item/ Ref # Details & Discussion & Conclusion (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) 6. Other Business Councillor Butt provided information regarding a missing teen in the Pickering area. Councillor Butt announced that a community brunch is being held at the Pickering Public Library in collaboration with the Muslim community and DARS. Halal food is being offered and all are welcome, including those who may not be experiencing housing or food insecurity. Councillor Butt and C. Bamford met with Inspector Carter of DRPS and have established a relationship by looking at activities that the police and the food bank can collaborate on. L. Appelbohm noted a community clean up on April 20, 2024. A. Muhammad noted concern regarding unsafe left turns entering and exiting the Plaza at 2460 Brock Road. Councillor Butt provided that the area is under Durham Regions authority and that it is under review and that there are plans for traffic lights being proposed. 7. Next Meeting The next meeting is scheduled for June 13, 2024. 8. Adjournment Moved by J. Larendowicz That the meeting be adjourned. Carried Meeting Adjourned: 8:59 pm