Accessibility Advisory Committee

Meeting #:

Date:

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Time:

2:00 P.m. - 4:00 P.m.

Location:

Online Video Conference

Members Absent

• Councillor Matt Mahoney , Ward 8
• Councillor Pat Saito, Ward 9
• Naz Husain, Citizen Member (Chair)
• Carol-Ann Chafe, Citizen Member (Vice-Chair)
• Asim Zaidi, Citizen Member (Vice-Chair)
• Mary Daniel, Citizen Member
• Clement Lowe, Citizen Member
• Amanda Ramkishun, Citizen Member
• Teneshia Samuel, Citizen Member
• Steven Viera, Citizen Member
• Alfie Smith, Stakeholder Member
• Sally Wall, Stakeholder Member

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1.

CALL TO ORDER - 2:03 PM

Chair, requested everyone present at the meeting introduce themselves.

2.

INDIGENOUS LAND STATEMENT

“We acknowledge the lands which constitute the present-day City of Mississauga as being part of the Treaty and Traditional Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, The Haudenosaunee Confederacy the Huron-Wendat and Wyandotte Nations. We recognize these peoples and their ancestors as peoples who inhabited these lands since time immemorial. The City of Mississauga is home to many global Indigenous Peoples.

As a municipality, the City of Mississauga is actively working towards reconciliation by confronting our past and our present, providing space for Indigenous peoples within their territory, to recognize and uphold their Treaty Rights and to support Indigenous Peoples. We formally recognize the Anishinaabe origins of our name and continue to make Mississauga a safe space for all Indigenous peoples.”

3.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Approved, as amended (M. Daniel)

4.

DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST

5.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

5.1

Draft Revised Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes –  May 16, 2022

Members of the Committee requested amendments to the draft minutes to include more commentary regarding items 6.1 and 11.1

Approved as amended (A. Zaidi)

6.

DEPUTATIONS

6.1

Vision Zero Road Safety Memorial

• Rachel Pennington, Public Art Curator and Erica Warsh, Project Leader, Vision Zero of the City of Mississauga to present

Committee members addressed the following items following the presentation of Rachel Pennington:

• To consider the grade of the lot at the location;
• Availability of lighting
• Space for three different seating heights;
• For the area for have natural shading;
• Bike racks and micromobility docking located away from the memorial site and signage advising of appropriate location;
• Water feature which incorporates flowing water to represent peace and harmony;
• Location near bus stop to allow those without cars to visit and promote inclusivity;
• Space for service animals to relieve themselves;
• Inquired about the project from a trauma informed lens;
• Accessibility from a mental health aspect and support for individuals on site with resource information available;
• Inquired if there would be braille plaques within the installation to assist the visually impaired by translating the artist statement of the      installation;
• audio experiences for people as a way to experience the art;
• translation of text into different languages;
• beacons for blind people that would alert that there is a plaque and read what is on the screen;
• beacons be placed around the various features of the monument such as the water fountain;
• QR codes that lead to a video of someone signing in Amercian sign language what the memorial is about;
• Suggestion that memorial is located in the Jubilee Gardens at Civic Centre which provides access by transit, driving, walking and has available parking as a central location; and
• Accessible walkways for wheelchairs, walkers and those using canes.

Staff responded to the Committee feedback as follows:

• That staff is considering trauma informed practices;
• That staff is looking at coping mechanisms such as widgets on site;
• Staff will look into the Committee suggestions of approaching the memorial from a trauma informed lens;
• To evaluate public art projects and rethink standard plaques with QR codes;
• Provide experiential learning and links to resources and support groups;
• Possibility of linking QR scan to a video with an American sign language interpretation and voice over;
• City installed a new project at the Living Arts Centre where the artist created an illustration based on sound and activities so when you walk by the mural or scan the QR code you would have this experience;
• Advised the Committee that there is a call to jurors on selection committees to choose art work and invited members to participate in the process.

• RECOMMENDATION AAC-0030-2022
  Moved By M. Daniel

  That the deputation and presentation regarding Vision Zero Road Safety Memorial by Rachel Pennington, Public Art Curator and Erica Warsh, Project Leader, Vision Zero to the Accessibility Advisory Committee on June 14, 2022, be received for information.

  Received

7.

PUBLIC QUESTION PERIOD - 15 Minute Limit 

Public Comments: Advance registration is required to participate and/or to make comments in the virtual public meeting. Any member of the public interested in speaking to an item listed on the agenda must register by calling 905-615-3200 ext. 5438 or by emailing by Thursday, June 9 before 4:00PM.

Pursuant to Section 42 of the Council Procedure By-law 0044-2022, as amended:

Accessibility Advisory Committee may grant permission to a member of the public to ask a question of the Committee, with the following provisions:

1. Questions shall be submitted to the Clerk at least 24 hours prior to the meeting;
2. A person is limited to two (2) questions and must pertain specific item on the current agenda and the speaker will state which item the question is related to;
3. The total public question period time is 15 minutes maximum and shall not be extended by the Chair; and
4. Any response not provided at the meeting will be provided in the format of written response.

No questions were registered by the public.

8.

CONSENT AGENDA - Nil

9.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED

9.1

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Update

Accessibility Staff will provide a brief verbal update with respect to the Accessibility For Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

Dan Sadler, Supervisor Accessibility advised the Committee that there are no updates.

• RECOMMENDATION AAC-0023-2022

  That the verbal update provided by ... with respect to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) be received.

9.2

Region of Peel Accessibility Advisory Committee Update

Councillor Mahoney, Carol-Ann Chafe, Vice-Chair and Mary Daniel, Citizen Member and Members of the Region of Peel Accessibility Advisory Committee will provide a brief verbal update.

Mary Daniel, Citizen Member advised that the Region of Peel Accessibility Advisory Committee met April 21st and provided their May Report and that the only addition was the May 19th GAAD (Global AccessAbility ) event with speakers from the Region.

Naz Husain, Chair advised that the National AccessAbility Week event on June 1st was a success.

• RECOMMENDATION AAC-0031-2022
  Moved By A. Ramkishun

  That the verbal update regarding the Region of Peel’s Accessibility Advisory Committee provided by Mary Daniel, Citizen Member and Member of the ROP AAC be received.

  Received

9.3

Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) Work Plan

Dan Sadler, Supervisor Accessibility advised the Committee that staff are in the process of updating the Facility Accessibility Design Standards and will advise the Committee of the update before the final step of bringing it to Council.  Mr. Sadler advised the Committee that staff are in the process of developing next year’s multi-year plan for 2023 which would be brought to the Committee for consultation.  

• RECOMMENDATION AAC-0032-2022
  Moved By T. Samuel

  That the Accessibility Advisory Committee Work Plan be approved as discussed at the June 14, 2022 Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting.

  Approved

10.

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

10.1

Facility Accessibility Design Subcommittee Report – May 30, 2022

Recommendation

That the deputation and associated presentation on Vimy Park Landscape Improvement by Erin Eldridge, Landscape Architect, About & Associates and Kathi Ross, Project Manager Parks Program, City of Mississauga to the Facility Accessibility Design Subcommittee on May 30, 2022 be received for information.

Erin Eldridge, Landscape Architect presented to the Subcommittee the proposed re-design of the Vimy Park Landscape improvement and design concept of the cenotaph outlining for the Subcommittee the following elements:

·    accessible access points;
·    location of redesigned benches;
·    location of City waste bins and planters;
·    sloping and grade; and
·    accessible parking.

Subcommittee members expressed concern with the following:

·    Subcommittee members stressed the importance of accessible access from the front of the cenotaph as opposed to the rear;
·    revised grading to accommodate access from the front with a slow slope;
·    providing a railing on the stairs;
·    Subcommittee members approved of the proposed benches and their location facing the cenotaph;
·    the importance of inclusivity for everyone to the cenotaph;
·    concern that the ability to read what is on the cenotaph if prevented without closer access;
·    accessible parking should be in front of the cenotaph; 
·    approval of proposed lighting;
·    use of QR codes at the site to provide further education; and
·    beacons to assist the blind.

Kathi Ross, Project Manager, Parks Program, City of Mississauga responded to the Subcommittee concerns and provided context around the three proposed design concepts which involved revisions to the stairs, ramp and plaza as well as elevated prominence of cenotaph and softening of lines around the cenotaph which was a request for heritage purposes.  Ms. Ross also advised the Subcommittee that construction is due to start in the Fall of 2022 and staff would speak to Transportation and Works regarding providing accessible parking spaces in front of the cenotaph as opposed to across the road which is the current location.  Ms. Ross advised the Subcommittee that changing the grade to facilitate front entry may or may not be able to be done at this stage but staff would look into this and review their concern.

DIRECTION TO STAFF:  Staff to work with Transportation and Works to provide accessible parking spaces in front of the cenotaph.  Staff to review accessible access to the front of the cenotaph and possible revision of the design concept.

Committee members were provided an update from staff on the Vimy Park Landscape Improvement project and voted to amend the Recommendation from the Facility Accessibility Design Subcommittee to include emphasis on front access to the cenotaph to promote inclusivity and accessibility as well as provide accessible parking in front of the cenotaph with curb cut to assist with access. 

• RECOMMENDATION AAC-0033-2022
  Moved By C. Chafe
  1. That the deputation and associated presentation on Vimy Park Landscape Improvement by Erin Eldridge, Landscape Architect, About & Associates and Kathi Ross, Project Manager Parks Program, City of Mississauga to the Facility Accessibility Design Subcommittee on May 30, 2022 be received for information.
  2. That the Accessibility Advisory Committee recommend accessible access be located at the front of the cenotaph to facilitate inclusion and accessibility.
  3. That accessible parking be provided in front of the cenotaph with curb cut to facilitate access.
  Received

11.

INFORMATION ITEMS

12.

OTHER BUSINESS

• Update on the provision of interpreters at election polling stations from the May 16 AAC meeting
• Update on the Vimy Park Landscape Improvement Project from the May 30th FADS meeting

Dan Sadler, Supervisor Accessibility provided the Committee with an update on their request for ASL interpreters at voting stations and advised the Committee that it would be cost prohibitive.

  The Committee discussed the following:
-    that Elections Canada also did not have interpreters available but did have a contact number that allowed an individual to request one;
-    contacting interpreters in advance so they can be available at the polling station;
-    video remote interpreting availability at polling stations.

DIRECTION TO STAFF – Dan to work with Legislative Services to see if video remote interpreting would assist at polling stations. 

Update on the Vimy Park Landscape Improvement Project from the May 30th FADS meeting

Dan Sadler, Supervisor Accessibility provided an update on the project to the Committee following staff’s presentation and advised that staff are open to meet again with FADS for another review in a working meeting and present three different designs to discuss the issues with each alternative to the Subcommittee’s request in regard to front access. Mr. Sadler advised that the request for accessible parking in front of the cenotaph is with staff to review.

13.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

TBD

14.

ADJOURNMENT- 3:38 PM

(Councillor P. Saito)