Body: Council Type: Document Meeting: Committee Date: 2019 Collection: Agenda Attachments Municipality: Frontenac County
[View Document (PDF)](/docs/frontenac-county/Item Attachments/Agenda Item/2019/March/2019-030 Frontenac Accessibility Advisory Committee Quarterly Update Report – Q1/Accessibility Advisory Committee Update Report - Q1.pdf)
Document Text
Report 2019-030 Committee Report To:
Chair and Members of the Frontenac Accessibility Advisory Committee
From:
Jannette Amini, Manager of Legislative Services/Clerk
Date of meeting: March 12, 2019 Re:
Frontenac Accessibility Advisory Committee – Quarterly Update Report – Q1
Recommendation This report is for information purposes only. Background The Accessibility Advisory Committee is mandated to assist County and Township Councils in the County of Frontenac in enabling persons with disabilities to have equal access to all opportunities within the County as well as work with Council and the community at large to identify and address the needs of persons with disabilities within the community. Comment The follow is a list of accessibility updates and activities that have occurred during Q3 of 2018:
- Community Accessibility Upgrades Accessible Transportation Pilot Program Survey – Frontenac Transportation Services As part of the 2018 budget, County Council approved the funding request from Frontenac Transportation Services of $10,000 for a one year pilot for Accessible transportation, with the intent to be monitored for success. As of December 31, 2018, none of the $10,000 was spent. As a result, the $10,000 was not provided to Frontenac Transportation Services. Frontenac Transportation Services attended the January 16, 2019 County Council meeting as part of the County’s public meeting held annually to permit citizens, businesses and other Frontenac stakeholders to come to Council to make representation on the annual budget. Its purpose was to request funding for 2019 to support its County Wide transportation service. The request did not include any funding for accessible transportation.
2. Transportation Services for the County of Frontenac In 2012, Southern Frontenac Community Services Corporation (SFCSC) and Rural Frontenac Community Services (RFCS) came together to form a collaborative entity to provide rides for residents of Frontenac County through the Frontenac Transportation Service (FTS). Prior to this integration of service, both agencies provided transportation services to people residing within the boundaries of their respective Townships. Since its inception, the County of Frontenac has provided an annual funding contribution of $96,000 (2018 contribution); however in 2018, due to shortfalls and no plan moving forward to address those shortfalls, along with concerns over its sustainability, the County required that FTS develop a Business Plan in order to continue to receive funding. This partnership between RFCS and SFCSC was terminated in early 2018 when SFCSC withdrew from the collaboration, resulting in the County receiving two separate requests for portions of the $96,000 funding allocation. As a result, the County will be splitting the $96,000 equally among the two agencies through a 1 year contract. 3. K&P Trail Updates In the 2019 budget, County Council approved funding in the amount of $250,000 to complete the K&P to Sharbot Lake. The trail from Kingston to Sharbot Lake includes 75 km of off road trail to Railway Heritage Park in Sharbot Lake. At present, 1.5 km remain. A paper map of the trail was completed in partnership with the City of Kingston and the trail itself includes accessible wayfinding signage designed consistent with the Kingston approach which is to be installed in spring of 2019. Council also approved in the budget repairs to the Elbow Creek Bridge, estimated at $25,000. In August of 2018, the deck of Fish Creek Bridge was replaced under warranty with the contractor responsible for the initial installation; however at this time, it was discovered that additional work is also required on to ensure stability and sustainability of the bridge. The Bridge work is set to be completed in 2019 to reduce risk associated with safety of the public using the trail and security of the County asset. 4. Accessibility Training Under the AODA, all employees and volunteers of the County of Frontenac and the Townships must be trained on the Customer Service Standard, the Information and Communications Standard, the Employment Standard, the Transportation Standard and the Design of Public Spaces Standard as well as the Human Rights Code. This training includes members of Council. AODA training was provided to a number of new employees including 24 new Paramedic recruits. Sustainability Implications Creating barrier-free communities through accessibility planning will enhance the County’s goal of sustainability in both the social and economic pillars of the County’s sustainability plan. As stated in Directions for Our Future, social sustainability is based
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on equity, diversity, connectivity, democracy and a good quality of life. It further states that economic development takes health, community, education, and environmental and social objectives into account. Financial Implications There are no direct financial implications associated with this report. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development Tom Mercer, Manager of Environmental Services Eric Korhonen, Township of North Frontenac Donna Longmire, Township of Central Frontenac Sherry Corneil, Township of South Frontenac Darlene Plumley, Township of Frontenac Islands
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