Canada Room 3:30 PM 5:30 PM Committee Members Present: Councillor Valerie Burke, Councillor Don Hamilton, Councillor Alan Ho, Sidney Polak, Chair, Robert Hunn, Vice-Chair, Kristen Hayes, Joan Jenkyn and Cindy Jones Shrek Staff Present: Sally Campbell, Senior Planner, Cheryl McConney-Wilson, Diversity Coordinator, Warren Rupnarain, Accessibility Coordinator, Graham Seaman, Senior Manager of the Sustainability Office and Laura Gold, Council/Committee Coordinator Regrets: Arlene Juanillo and Brian Lynch 1. CALL TO ORDER The convened at 3:32 p.m. with Sidney Polak presiding as Chair. 2. ACCESSIBILITY ENHANCEMENTS ON MAIN STREET MARKHAM Sally Campbell, Senior Planner, Urban Design, provided a presentation entitled Commercial Patios in the Public Right of Way. The Committee reviewed three options for patios on Main Street Markham. It was agreed that there should be a continuous linear sidewalk on Main Street Markham. The Committee suggested that a person with a visual impairment should be consulted on the patio options. Warren Rupnarain will consult a person with a visual impairment on the patio options and provide their feedback to Sally Campbell. A Member asked whether the accessibility retrofitting of private businesses on Main Street Markham were included as part of this project. Staff advised that the City s accessibility enhancements on Main Street Markham are on public property and that it is at the discretion of the private business owners on Main Street Markham to invest in the accessibility retrofitting of their businesses. Moved by Joan Jenkyn Seconded by Councillor Valerie Burke That the Markham supports commercial patios in the municipal right of way and expresses a preference for patios that do not encroach across the continuous linear path of travel. CARRIED Consult a person with a visual impairment on the patio options for Main Street Markham and provide their feedback to Sally Campbell Warren Rupnarain
2 P a g e 3. DIVERSITY Cheryl McConney-Wilson, Diversity Coordinator was in attendance to provide a UPDATE presentation on diversity. It was advised that the Mayor s quote Everybody Welcome explains how the City wants people who work, live or visit Markham to feel. It was reported that City staff are trained to use inclusive language and that the City term walkable refers to all persons (e.g. able bodies and persons with a mobility challenge). Review the Diversity Checklist and provide feedback to the Diversity Coordinator - All Committee Members 4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING THERE FROM The Committee reviewed the City of Markham s Diversity Checklist. The checklist is a tool that that is given to staff to use in their planning and undertaking of activities. The checklist helps ensure that staff are considering diversity in their planning and undertaking of activities. The Committee will review the checklist and provide its feedback to the Diversity Coordinator. It was reported that the Committee Clerk has requested that Markham Small Business Centre consider asking students to include the accessibility of their business in their business plans for the 2014 student business plan competition. Staff thought this was a great idea. Moved by Robert Hunn Seconded by Councillor Alan Ho That the March 20, 2013 Minutes be approved as amended. CARREID Review of Action Items 5. DISCUSSION ON ACCESSIBILITY The Committee reviewed and updated the list of action items. The Chair will review the list of action items with the Committee Clerk and the Accessibility Coordinator. The Committee discussed the 2013 Accessibility Fair. The following ideas were reported:
FAIR Holding the event on September 7 or 14, 2013 at a Community Centre to give the committee more time to plan the event and to engage the public; Having accessible sports/recreation as the theme of the event; Having accessible sport/recreation activities for patrons to try (e.g. accessible tennis and basket ball); Targeting the disabled community to attend the event; Hoping to have an athlete as the guest speaker; Asking the Accessibility Committee to help with the planning and undertaking of the event; Engaging applicable partners to participate in the event; Thinking about inviting people from the culture community to participate in the event; Having entertainment and music at the event; Making it a fun event. 3 P a g e 6. SUB-COMMITTEE REPORTS a. Sub-Committee Roles and Responsibilities The Chair reported that this agenda item was to find out more information on the Committee and to clarify some confusion surrounding the roles and responsibilities of sub-committees. Marsha Mariani reported the mandate of the Committee is to provide adaptable recreational programs for persons with a disability. It was recommended that the name of the sub-committee be updated to the Accessibility Sports & Recreation Sub-Committee. The Committee Clerk explained the roles and responsibilities of sub-committees, as there was some concern that there were non-committee members on the Recreation Sub-Committee. The Committee Clerk clarified that non-committee members may serve on a sub-committee of a committee of Council, as long a there are members of the parent committee also serving on the sub-committee. Change name of the Committee to the Accessibility Sports & Committee Committee
4 P a g e b. Site Plan Sub-Committee No report was provided. c. Promotions Sub-Committee No report was provided. d. Committee Joan Jenkyn circulated a written report from the Committee. 7. BOARD OF TRADE AWARD Graham Seaman reported that a meeting was held with the Markham Board of Trade regarding the Accessible Board of Trade Award. At this meeting the expectations regarding who should be provided with the award were clarified, as it was not clear to the Board of Trade that the award focus should be on businesses eliminating physical barriers for persons with a disability. Additionally, the Board of Trade agreed to share the shortlisted award nominations. However, they thought it would be a conflict of interest to have a member of the Committee on the award selection committee. The Committee can still decide to have its own awards ceremony next year as part of the Accessibility Fair. This decision will be made based on the outcome of this year s award selection process. 8. NEW BUSINESS A. Correspondence The following correspondence was circulated to the Committee: 1) Mobility Plus User Unhappy with Transition An article from the Thornhill Liberal regarding a passenger who is unhappy with the changes to the Mobility Plus services. B. Markham Centre Advisory Group Robert Hunn reported that he will no longer be able to represent the Advisory Committee on Accessibility on the Markham Centre Advisory Group. Councillor Don
Agenda Item Hamilton reported that he could represent the on Discussion Action Item Markham Centre Advisory Group until September 2013. 5 P a g e 9. DATE OF THE May 15, 2013, 3:30 p.m. Canada Room. NEXT MEETING 10. ADJOURNMENT The adjourned at 5:30 p.m.
6 P a g e Action Items No. Action Item Responsibility of Staff/Committee Member 1. Invite Regan to a future Committee meeting so that the Committee can decide its next steps with respect to the retrofitting of heritage properties 2. Possibly place a budget request for a pilot project, which would entail conducting accessibility audits of businesses 3. Decide whether the Committee will support a 2014 Accessible Board of Trade Award 4. Consult a person with a visual impairment on the patio options for Main Street Markham and provide their feedback to Sally Campbell 5. Change name of the Committee to the Accessibility Sports & Committee All Committee Members Completion Date Status Graham Seaman Spring/Summer 2013 September 2013 Warren Rupnarain May 2013 Committee April 2013 Under Review May 2013 6. Review the Diversity Checklist and provide feedback to the Diversity All Committee May 2013 Coordinator Members 7. Engagement with Markham s BIA s Warren Rupnarain On going