| This page
provides an overview of the City of London's Accessibility Committee
including its mandate
and terms of reference and
priorities and action plans.
Now in its tenth year of operation, the Accessibility Advisory Committee
has addressed - or is in the process of addressing - a wide range
of accessibility concerns. The scope of
accomplishments and initiatives
ranges from a a review of City by-laws to the development of accessibility
planning resources to assist the community with meeting the needs
of persons with disabilities. The Committee also hosts an annual
Empowerment & Action Day conference.
Enhancing the Lives of Children and Youth with Disabilities
was the
theme our 2011 event held in partnership with
Thames Valley
Children's Centre.
The mandate of the Accessibility Advisory
Committee (ACCAC) is to advise and assist City Council and potentially
City Agencies, Boards And Commissions, in promoting and facilitating
a barrier-free London for citizens of all abilities (universal accessibility),
including persons with disabilities. This aim shall be achieved
through the review of municipal policies, programs and services
and the identification, removal and prevention of barriers faced
by persons with disabilities.
The
Ontarians
with Disabilities Act (ODA 2001) requires that the majority
of the thirteen (13) voting members of this Advisory Committee be
composed of persons with disabilities, and may include four (4)
members who may not have a disability and are interested in issues
related to persons with disabilities, and one (1) member (a parent)
representing children with disabilities.
Listed below are committee action items
for the City's 2011 Accessibility Plan.
Education and Awareness
1.
Continue to update the committee’s website content.
2. Liaise with new members of City Council to educate
them on the work of the ACCAC and the proposed AODA Standards.
3. Organize a one-day forum with local agencies.
4. Develop a print-based marketing plan to promote the
committee’s contact information and website.
5. Establish and strengthen links with agencies and organizations
who assist persons with disabilities. Particular attention should
be given to those persons with disabilities who are under represented
on our committee or whose issues are not yet addressed by our
committee’s efforts.
6. Organize an Open House/ Networking event to bring together
councillors, agencies, persons with disabilities and the general
public to dialogue on accessibility issues impacting our community.
7. Connect with other local advisory committees (university,
college, schools and hospitals) to exchange information and
share resources.
8. Improve relationship with London’s business community.
Transportation
9. Contact all incoming
Councillors immediately to introduce our subcommittee and ask
them to increase the 2011 Transportation Budget to allow for
full subsidy for all persons with disabilities in London.
10. Promote the proper use of accessible parking spaces
through education and awareness.
11. Follow up on accessibility of construction sites throughout
the city.
12. Promote speed reduction and safety when using a motorized
mobility device through education.
13. Check with staff on the priority sites they have planned
for improved standards 2011.
Non-Visible Disabilities -
Priority Focus
14. Education: i) Make
survey results available publicly; ii) Connect with local
agencies servicing non-visible disabilities to investigate public
education options; iii) Prepare materials for employers,
business owners, agencies and facilities regarding non-visible
disabilities
15. Accommodation: i) Implement a standardized program for access
to venues throughout London for persons with non-visible disabilities
requiring support staff (Access 2 Entertainment programs through
Easter Seals Canada); ii) Seek a grant to cover the cost of
membership ($5 per person) for as many new individuals within
London as possible.
16. Prevention: i) Investigate which, if any, non-visible
disabilities can be prevented.: ii) Determine what role
the Accessibility Advisory Committee can play in prevention
Policy Development
17. Undertake a strategic
planning session for the advisory committee to develop goals,
objectives and priorities for the new four-year term.
18. Continue to work with the City to assist with the
development of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
Act, 2005 (AODA) standard, policies, procedures, practices and
training for staff.
19. The Accessibility Advisory Committee will undertake a review
of selected City by-laws, policies and procedures.
Facilities
20. Continue with restaurant reviews.
21. List and identify all full service gas stations in London
and link the information to our website.
22. Review and access all recreation facilities including all
private gyms for accessibility.
23. Check with Independent Living to see if the London Accessibility
booklet can or should have an updated version.
|
|
Below you'll find some some highlights
of our activities and accomplishments including
Special events (Outdoor
festivals), Review of City by-laws,
London
accommodation audit for Access Guide Canada,
Accessibility
audits of City facilities,
Communications access,
Service dogs in taxi cabs,
Additional training for polling station staff,
Municipal parking spots for persons with disabilities,
Audible pedestrian crossings
and Affordable accessible
housing. Our Committee has also developed guidelines and a variety
of accessibility planning
resources to assist the community with meeting the needs of
persons with disabilities.
Special
Events (Outdoor events): The Advisory
Committee is working with festival organizers to make London’s outdoor
events more accessible to persons with special needs. Organizers
are prepared to provide additional accessible washrooms, cordoned-off
viewing areas, drop-off and pick-up areas for ParaTransit vehicles
and additional disabled parking places. We are also working with
City staff to design a portable stage which will be made available
to all festival organizers.
Review
of City by-laws: Committee members
are currently reviewing City Bylaws for the purposes of providing
advise with respect to the accessibility of persons with disabilities.
The Special Events Policy Manual was reviewed as was the Parks and
Recreation Bylaw and the Tax/Limousine Bylaw. Other policies and
by-laws will be reviewed this year.
London accommodation audit for Access Guide Canada;
Tourism London has audited the accessibility
features of many of London’s hotels and motels and this information
is included the Access Guide Canada website.
Accessibility audits of City facilities:
With the assistance of students enrolled
in the University of Western Ontario’s Occupational Therapy program,
committee members were able to complete an accessibility audit of
many city owned, operated and leased facilities. Building reviewed
included, libraries, arenas, community centres and administrative
offices. These reports provide Facilities Design and Construction
with valuable information on items that need to be addressed during
building upgrades or renovations.
Communications
access: The City now has a list of
qualified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters to contact for
key public communications. It has also expanded service support
to deaf or hard of hearing by installing a TTY unit. As well the
New PL has committed to work in collaboration with the City to ensure
public broadcasts of an emergency nature are closed captioned as
well as ensuring that all of their regular programs and news are
closed-captioned.
Service
dogs in taxi cabs: City Hall has indicated
it will take a zero tolerance policy towards drivers of taxicabs
and limousines who refuse rides to patrons who are accompanied with
their service dogs. In future, drivers may have their licence revoked
or suspended if they refuse to serve such patrons. As well as undertaking
a review of driver training materials, owners of taxicabs limousine
services are also to ensure drivers are kept informed of relevant
legislation.
Additional training for polling station volunteers
... a first for our city:
Leading up to the 2003 municipal election, polling
station workers received additional training on how to meet the
needs of voters with disabilities. Members of the Accessibility
Advisory Committee prepared and delivered a presentation on the
challenges faced by persons with disabilities and how volunteers
could address those needs. Examples of tips given included asking
How may I help you? to allow individuals to identify what assistance
they may need and speaking in a normal tone of voice when communicating
with the deaf or hard of hearing.
Municipal parking spots for persons with disabilities:
The number of disabled parking spots in
municipal parking lots has been (or is currently under review) resulting
in an increase in the number of disabled parking spots in most lots.
For those who display a disabled parking permit free parking at
on-street meters, (for the maximum time permitted on that meter)
will continue. In addition, the City will permit up to two hours
of free parking in City Municipal parking lots.
Audible pedestrian crossings:
For many years now the City's Transportation
Division and the CNIB have been working together to identify and
implement safety features for Londoners who are blind or visually
impaired. For example, audible pedestrian signals and now installed
at a number of street crossing areas. Activated by a pedestrian
pushbutton, these locations provide signals which emit a sound to
indicate when it is safe to cross.
Affordable accessible housing:
To encourage developers to build affordable accessible
housing units for persons with disabilities, the City's Housing
Division has agreed to provide Developers a $5,000 grant for each
accessible unit constructed. Furthermore, the City's Facility Accessibility
Design Standards (FADS) will be included in future proposal calls
for the City's affordable and social housing initiatives.
|
|
