Committee received the following updates from Michele Byrne, Manager, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility, People, Equity and Culture, Office of the CAO:
York Region Accessibility Advisory Committee Mid-Term Networking Event
The York Region Accessibility Advisory Committee social and networking dinner was held in June at the accessible York Regional Police Association building, attended by Committee members and York Region staff, with opening remarks provided by Erin Mahoney, Chief Administrative Officer.
Angelo Tocco was recognized for his service to the Committee over the past 8 years and was presented with a personalized portrait of his dog, hand-painted by Steve Foglia, another member of the Committee.
York Region Accessibility Advisory Committee Midterm Recruitment
York Region will begin the recruitment process for one new citizen member to serve on the Committee, who provide knowledge of hearing disabilities.
Design of Public Spaces Review
The AODA Design of Public Spaces Standards were recently reviewed and the initial recommendations report is posted online for public consultation. It will be posted for 60 days and an opportunity to provide feedback will close on August 29, 2024. The Accessibility Unit will work with appropriate staff and experts to determine a corporate response.
Distracted Driving Campaign - Request for Volunteers
York Regional Police, Ministry of Transportation Ontario, York Region Public Health and The Canadian Automobile Association are looking for volunteers from various committees including seniors, accessibility, and newcomer groups to take part in a photoshoot for the Distracted Driving and Walking Campaign.
The time commitment is three hours or less on July 16, 2024 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the City of Markham at the intersection of Enterprise Boulevard and Birchmount Road. In the event of rain, the photoshoot will be moved to Wednesday, July 17, 2024 from 9 a.m. to noon.
More information can be found on the York Region website at www.york.ca.
Annual Emergency Exercise - Request for Volunteers
The Emergency Training, Exercises and Public Education team is preparing for the annual emergency exercise, scheduled for October 18, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participation from committee members is welcome and the time commitment will vary depending on the extent of involvement. There are four meeting dates:
- July 5, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
- July 18, 1:30 to 3:00
- August 6, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
- August 23, 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
There may be additional meetings and a pre-exercise dry run before the actual exercise.
Committee received the following update from Robert DiGiovanni, Committee Member:
National AccessAbility Week
National AccessAbility Week was recognized from May 26 to June 1, 2024 and this year's professional development forum “Forward Together: Accessibility and Inclusion for York Region Spaces and Places" took place at the York Region Administrative building in Newmarket on May 29, 2024.