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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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