MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for June 20, 2023

For their June meeting, the Accessibility Advisory Committee is going to be revisting some of the things that have been recurring themes in the first part of 2023, so that means a discussion about parking downtown, parks and recreation, and complete streets. And if you’re thinking that all those things have a transportation element to them, you’re right, which is why we’re going to be talking about transit too!

NOTE #1: This meeting will take place in Meeting Room A at City Hall, but you can also watch it on video via Cisco Webex. (Find the link on the meeting agenda.)

NOTE #2: Accessibility-related accommodations available upon timely request to Sarah Cunneyworth 519-822-1260 extension 3536; TTY 519-826-9771 email: accessibility [at] guelph.ca.

NOTE #3: The meeting begins at 3 pm and is expected to wrap up around 5 pm.

Downtown Guelph Parking Master Plan – Since the AAC last talked about the Downtown Parking Master Plan, staff have completed some research about the current state of accessible parking downtown. Right now, there are 80 accessible spaces including six in the three surface lots, 44 in the three parkades, and 30 on-street. Peak use of accessible spaces during a survey last fall was Saturday afternoon when 41 per cent of spaces were being used. The committee will be asked about prioritizing work on the next phase including the establishment of a working group to look at the distribution of spaces, creating a mobile app, and looking at the supply of sheltered accessible spaces specifically.

Guelph Transit: RideCo Partnership, Standing Order List and Bus Stop with Shelter Design – This is a lot. Let’s do bus stops first because, as you may know, the bus shelters in the Guelph Central Station are being upgraded this summer into something that will be both enclosed and accessible. As for the other bus stops in Guelph, there are 587, and while 442 are accessible there are still 145 that have no concrete pad, and there are only 156 stops with shelters. Staff want committee’s feedback about where they should focus on. The other items concern mobility. RideCo is the company that provides the software to manage the mobility service, and staff are looking for advice about how to improve efficiency as more people use the system.

Multi-Year Accessibility Plan – The City of Guelph has a multi-year accessibility plan, and this new iteration will take it out until 2026 and it covers all areas of the City’s business from planning, to transportation, to customer service. The document essentially strives to provide the municipal corporation a directive to make accessibility a priority for both workers and residents, but it is focused on the City’s work as it pertains to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, which many on the committee will note is rather limiting. Committee members will be asked for their suggestions to improve the draft.

Complete Streets Design Guide (CSDG) Project – Staff will give the committee an overview of what a complete street is and how some of these ideas might be implemented in Guelph. Among the ideas in the offing are lower speed limits, the physical separation of bike paths, and the broader consideration for people with physical disabilities like wider sidewalks. The AAC is being asked to evaluate the work completed so far, whether accessibility has been suitable prioritized and to identify any gaps that need filled. The committee will re-visit complete streets again at the August meeting before the completed design guide goes to city council this fall.

Draft Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PRMP) – The draft version of the new Parks and Recreation Master Plan will put out there for public comment in July, but before that, there will be one last check-in with the AAC. Staff will review the feedback given so far, and where the master plan will go next once the summer’s over.

Vehicle for Hire Program – Since the fall of 2018, the City of Guelph’s been collecting 7 cents per trip every time Uber or some non-taxi vehicle for hire service has not had an accessible vehicle available, and that account now has $170,000 in it. A motion to direct the use of these funds was deferred from October to allow more time for information gathering, and that information has been so gathered. Staff are now formally recommending that the Vehicle for Hire funds by allocated to the March of Dimes, who presently run a program that provides funds to individuals, families and caregivers to make modifications to vehicles so that they’re more accessible.

Site Plan Internal Review Report – No report is attached to this item, but only two minutes have been allocated for this item, so it will be brief. Sarah Cunneyworth, the Co-ordinator of Accessibility at the City, will speak to this.

Staff Announcements – Staff will be co-ordinating dates during the summer and early to fall so that committee members can visit playgrounds in City-owned parks to look at accessibility issues first hand.

Future Topics: