It’s been a while since we’ve sat down and spent time with the Accessibility Advisory Committee; they last got together right before Christmas. So for the first meeting in 2024, there’s going to be a lot of stuff on the agenda including chair and vice-chair election, plus feedback about elections, playgrounds, and waste collection. On top of that, the committee will face a familiar exercise we’ve already seen a couple of times this month!
NOTE #1: This meeting will take place in Meeting Room A at City Hall, but you can also watch it on video via Microsoft Teams. (Find the link on the meeting agenda.)
NOTE #2: Accessibility-related accommodations available upon timely request to Sarah Boghossian 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.
Addition of Consent Agendas on Future AAC Agendas – Up first, a matter of procedure: Should the AAC add consent agenda items? You may know that consent agenda items are presented at council meetings and other board and committee meetings, it’s when an item is straightforward or following up on direction previously given. The committee could then approve the item without any further debate, or, if directed by one of the members, a report can be pulled for more discussion. The idea here is to streamline AAC meetings.
AAC Chair and Vice-Chair Election – Since this is the first meeting of the Accessibility Advisory Committee for 2024, one the first things they have to do is choose a chair and a vice-chair. Presently, those roles are filled by Lorelei Root and Mike Ashkewe respectively.
ACOC Governance Framework: Phase 2 – As you may know, the clerks’ office is working with Guelph Labs at the University of Guelph to come up with a new framework for the operation of advisory groups at the City of Guelph, including the Accessibility Advisory Committee. Like he did earlier this month with Heritage Guelph and the Transit Advisory Committee, Deputy Clerk Dylan McMahon will be a featured guest at this meeting to take part in the first of two sessions with the committee to look over the framework passed by council last fall, and how best the AAC can fit within it.
Playground Accessibility: Special Meeting – You may recall that back in October there were a couple of motions referred to the AAC about accessibility matters supplementary to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The motions included a requirement for two wheelchair accessible features for every playground, service targets for playgrounds to have rubberized surfaces, and the use of economic need as a measurement for the appropriate locations of rubber surfaces. It’s staff recommendation that the AAC set a special meeting date on May 21 to talk out these ideas.
2024-25 Play Equipment Lifecyle Project: Colonial Drive, Holland Crescent and Highview Parks – Presently, the City is looking to replace the playground equipment at these three parks, and it’s current a subject on the City’s Have Your Say page, but the expertise of the AAC will be brought to the question about how best the new equipment at these parks can ensure accessibility for everyone.
Sport Field and Court Strategy – The City will be developing a Outdoor Sport Field and Surface Strategy, and while public engagement won’t start till sometime this spring, and even though a draft won’t be completed until early 2026, the AAC is getting a jump on things. The committee will be asked about improvements needed for user experience, accessibility needs for users and spectators, and emerging sports trends that staff need to think about.
Municipal Election Follow-Up – The time has come for the committee to make a formal recommendation for election methods in 2026. The draft motion from the clerk’s office reads, “Proposed methods of voting are in-person voting with voting enhancement options on election day. Vote by Mail and Vote from Home leading up to election day.” You may notice that the AAC’s number one preferred option, internet voting, is not there, so there may be some debate about whether or not that’s the motion that goes to council in May.
Downtown Waste Design Guidelines (Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program) – It’s not only the roads that are going to be improved with the Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program, it’s the waste collections too. The City is looking at a couple of different options for new containers to collect waste and recycling downtown, and they each offer different challenges and advantages so the AAC are looking to look at them from the point of view of the disabled community since once of them is a little obtrusive when being emptied. A report on this matter will be coming back to city council in June.
Guelph Politico 