Part 1: PEC Accessibility Committee Expands Accessible Parking and Launches Business Accessibility Initiative - 03/21/2024
- PECConnect
- Mar 21, 2024
- 4 min read
The meeting opened late due to informal introductions. The agenda was approved with no conflicts of interest declared. The committee elected Irene Harris as Chair and Sarah Moffatt as Vice Chair. New members Olivia Timm and Jessica Lee were welcomed, with Jessica unable to attend due to illness.
View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>
Minutes from January 17, 2024 were approved. Announcements included Easter Seals post-secondary scholarships and a fundraiser by the Prince Edward County Lions Club, supporting sight, hearing, and guide dog programs.
Accessible parking near the Picton Armory and Library
Andrea Dawes from the Prince Edward County Arts Council presented a deputation requesting an accessible parking space on Picton Main Street near the Armory and Library. The Arts Council recently moved into the Armory’s main-level space and serves seniors, people with disabilities, and Community Living participants.
Andrea explained that while the interior space is accessible, lack of nearby accessible parking prevents people from reaching the building. Letters of support were submitted from the Picton Library, the Armory owners, and the Picton BIA. The committee formally received the deputation and agreed to carry the issue forward into the broader accessible parking discussion.
Accessible parking audit and recommendations
County staff, led by Garen Young, presented a detailed county-wide accessible parking audit. The audit found that Picton, Bloomfield, and Wellington together had only about 10 accessible parking spaces, far below best practice.
Staff proposed 19 new accessible parking spaces and one relocation, more than doubling the total.
The presentation covered: Picton off-street lots on King Street and Mary Street. Picton Main Street on-street locations. Bloomfield Main Street and municipal lots. Wellington Main Street and Rotary Beach.
The committee discussed Type A versus Type B parking spaces, with strong support for Type A spaces whenever space allows due to better accessibility and flexibility. Safety, curb cuts, sidewalk grading, pedestrian traffic, and enforcement were discussed in detail.
Rotary Beach and Wellington discussions
At Rotary Beach, staff proposed upgrading existing spaces, adding a third accessible space, and creating a larger space capable of accommodating mobility vans or small buses. This was supported due to use by seniors and care facilities. In Wellington, staff proposed new accessible spaces near high-use areas including the park, grocery access, cafes, and the waterfront, balancing limited parking with accessibility needs.
Committee decisions on parking
The committee endorsed all 19 new accessible parking spaces and one relocation, recommended public consultation, and directed staff to use Type A spaces whenever possible for off-street parking. Staff were also encouraged to explore future feasibility of an additional accessible space near the Picton Library, as part of later audit phases.
Access the County grant project
Staff announced the county received $18,750 in provincial funding for the Access the County project, aimed at helping small businesses understand and comply with AODA requirements before January 2025.
The committee approved: The project plan. The task team terms of reference. Appointment of Carolyn Rees and Olivia Timm to the task team.
The project will include training, outreach, and practical tools for businesses, with work completed by January 3, 2025.
Special meeting with nonprofit organizations
The committee agreed to organize a fall 2024 roundtable-style meeting with nonprofits and service clubs focused on accessibility. The goal is to share knowledge, identify gaps, and improve coordination.
Sarah Moffatt, Olivia Timm, and Ivan Robinson will work with staff to plan the meeting and report back in May.
Council resolution on provincial accessibility funding
A draft resolution was reviewed calling on the Province of Ontario to establish a dedicated accessibility funding program and to implement urgent recommendations from the Donovan Report. The Mayor also plans to submit a supporting letter.
Site plan reviews and work plan
The committee reviewed accessibility considerations for Wentworth Landscaping and Del Gatto Winery site plans. Improvements at Del Gatto were praised. The 2024 work plan was received, with staff and councillors acknowledging a strong shift toward embedding accessibility earlier in planning and policy work.
The meeting adjourned with the next meeting scheduled for May 8, 2024.
Key Takeaways
The committee endorsed 19 new accessible parking spaces and one relocation across Picton, Bloomfield, Wellington, and Rotary Beach, recommending Type A spaces where possible and public consultation, improving access for residents, seniors, and visitors with disabilities.
The Access the County project received approval for funding, project plan, task team, and appointments, providing training, outreach, and practical tools to help small businesses meet AODA requirements by January 2025.
Planning for nonprofit and service club engagement, reviewing council accessibility resolutions, and site plan improvements demonstrates a broader commitment to embedding accessibility earlier in policy and planning, shaping a more inclusive County for residents and visitors.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:12:40. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.
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