Members of the public may watch the meeting live on oakville.ca or the town's YouTube channel. So, the agenda and the minutes and the materials, sorry, for today's meeting are available also on oakville.ca um under the town hall uh and the website under the town hall agendas and meetings. So, we have one for today's agenda. We have one discussion item and two information items. So I'll begin. Um so madame clerk, are there any regrets for today's meeting? >> Yes, Dean and Julie are regrets. >> Okay. Thank you. So the next item is declarations of pecunary interest. So do any committee members have any declarations of pecuniary interest today? None noted. Next item is confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting. The previous meeting, as you know, was held on June 11th, 2026. So, I would like to Are there any questions about the minutes from the last meeting? Okay. So, I'd like to have a motion that the minutes of the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of June 11th, 2026 be approved. May I have a motion, please? Okay, Nora. Thank you, Nora. Okay, any objections? Okay, that's carried. Now we our first and only discussion item is an item on the Riverside Park accessibility features. So I'm assuming I'm turning um this over over to Carmen um who's going to speak to us on the uh presentation. So they presentation will be put up on the screen uh for everybody to see and there will be an opportunity for questions at the end. Thank you, Carmen, and welcome. [snorts] >> Um, okay, there we go. Good afternoon, members of the accessibility advisory committee. My name is Carmen Huey, and I'm a landscape architect in the parks and open space department. Today, I'm here to present to you the Riverstone Park um project which we had commenced uh earlier this year. So, Just trying to advance the slide here. Um, thank you. Um so through the agenda um I'll be covering off the project timeline, the context map of where Riverstone Park is, the building standards and guidelines that we follow, um as well as the Riverstone Park design itself, including the accessible and inclusive design features, some cross-sections as well as the key accessible features and next steps. Next, please. So the project timeline um is in front of you on this slide. So we commenced the project as I mentioned earlier in February of 2026 and we went through a series of uh public meetings uh in-person public meetings uh between March 2026 and July of 2026. So the concept of the design of the park was uh built on public consultation. We then embarked on detail design in July and we are currently still in detail design and we thought this would be a good stage for us to check in with the accessibility advisory committee on the design and incorporate any feedback you may have on the accessible features of the park or if you have a lens on different aspects we haven't covered welcome to uh hear hear uh hear you out on those as well. Um, so after the detailed design is complete and incorporating some of the comments that we receive, we will go to tender and we will award in the early part of 2027 and go to construction in April of 2027 and be completed by October of 2027. Next, please. So, this is a context map showing where Riverstone Park is located, which is east of Trfalger Road, uh north of Riverstone Drive and west of Milford Lane. It's nestled uh in in this pocket with um uh three sides uh fronting uh with sorry, town homes fronting onto the park. And it's a 65 hectar piece of land. Next. So the building standards and guidelines that we did follow which were foundational to the design of Riverstone Park was the accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities act and the town of Oakville's Oakville Universal Design Standards as well as the town's guidelines for design of accessible facilities as well as the Ontario building code. Next, uh, this slide in front of you is a layout of the Riverstone Park design. So, we're really excited to present this to you. Um and as I mentioned uh first of all the orientation north is uh at the top of the page and this this park design is the community's vision uh which is really to create a sequence of comfortable connected spaces that feel natural and support everyday activities recreation and fit comfortably in the surrounding context. The park will feature an accessible playground, um, three fitness stations with six pieces of equipment, a shade structure for shelter from the elements, and the main entrance, you can see, um, is located at the uh, culde-sac of Riverstone Drive. And the main entrance uh is accessible with a paved surface and a wayfinding feature uh that's conceptually shown now as the medallion that you see in front. Um and the view of the open lawn which is central to the park design is framed by a pergola with seating beneath. On the west side of the park is a quieter area with a series of games tables that are sheltered by high branching trees and some softly mounded greenery. The entire park is designed and graded to be accessible to all. On the next slide, I will speak to some of the more accessible and inclusive design features. Um so as you can see the park is accessible from Trfalga Road, Riverstone Drive and Milford Lane. Uh the entrance points are indicated with the stars outlined in red. And then throughout the park there are also some yellow stars with the black outlines and those are also uh barrierfree areas and facilities. So, um the games tables, the pergola, the pathways that you see with the red, uh dotted lines, um and and all the walkways around the playground as well. Um all these walkways will be illuminated so that clear edges can be uh discerned. Um as well there is an accessible ramp into the playground uh which will be surfaced in engineered wood fiber as is the fitness stations uh surrounding the playground. There will be flush curbs um approaching the fitness stations. Uh next please. Thank you. Uh so I've got three crosssections here. Uh section A is a diagonal axis of a cross-section that shows you uh the interface between the existing multi-use path along Trafalgar Road. Um the ornamental fence and masonry column features that will front the uh the frontage of the MUP and create a really well- definfined park frontage. And then this will be buffered by high branching trees and uh softly mound uh mounded area planted with perennials which then opens up into this beautiful open lawn where people can recreate. Um, and then it then transcends into the more active part of the park, which is a playground and fitness stations. And then it then moves into the Milford Milford uh lane area into the existing neighborhood. Section B uh shows quieter social spaces like the games table area and this could range from pingpong to chess to um I think corn cornhole is the other games that that are being uh proposed there. So it's more of a quiet area um and buffered buffered by the trees along Trafala Road. Um it then descends into the open lawn and then comes back up around the playground. And as you can see on the right hand side of this cross-section, there's also a rain garden feature. So this whole park design is takes on a more sustainable design approach to storm water management. Uh section C illustrates the western edge of the park. This uh the residential area um as you can see is buffered by by some high branching trees and perennials uh perennial plantings as well. the um there's a series of small social destinations um pictured um pictured up above and then it eventually as you move uh southwards it uh ends up in an accessible unit PA plaza entrance which is uh the main entrance into the park and then into the concrete sidewalk which then connects to the multi-use path. Uh next please. So these uh this slide just shows some of the proposed uh types of park elements that you would see in Riverstone Park. So I mentioned a pergola with seating beneath. Um also some uh seating that is accessible um bench seating that's accessible. There's also going to be some low concrete walls for those who, you know, may be walking their dog or have a baby with um in a stroller who might want to rest or just um take in take in the park. There's going to be illumination um an accessible playground and uh the surfacing for the fitness areas would be engineered wood fiber. Um next please. Uh so this is a summary of the key accessible features. So there will be accessible walkway connections into the park. Accessible flush curbs and material changes between all park elements. Um accessible ramp into engineered wood fiber playground. And there will be a 70% tonal contrast to signal change in paving materials and definition of spaces within Riverstone Park. and a minimum of 20% of seating opportunities will be accessible including a paved pad to accommodate um mobility devices. So that is a minimum but I think in our current plan we are we are surpassing that. So I'm glad to report that um illumination as I mentioned will be also provided to define clear edges and mounted on pedestals. And finally, all signage will conform with AODDA and Town of Oakville universal design standards. And the next steps, thank you. Um, we will continue on with um detailed design of course integrating any recommendations uh that we receive from accessibility advisory committee. uh will go to tender uh in the later part of this year and we will award by early 2027 and constructing this spring and the project will be completed by October of 2027. Uh thank you for your time and uh looking forward to any questions you may have. >> Thank [clears throat] you Carmen. >> You're welcome. Okay, now I'll ask are there any questions um from the committee members? Uh just before I start, I understand uh that uh member uh Dean Travers did submit um some feedback um that we did receive by email and that will be shared uh with you um Carmen as well. Oh, Dean's on. [laughter] Okay, Dean, you can speak for yourself. I don't have to talk about your email. >> No, I think you did it well. So, I've got it written down. I don't think I need to read it, but I can post it in chat if it help. Basically, I'm addressing factors that may or may not have been fully recognized, particularly dealing with um vision impairment, blind people. I recognize the longstanding relationship that Oakville has with guide dog. It's a big program down on Kur that's moving up that way. Um and also something more about sensory related factors uh people with seizures. But I I got a couple of questions now. I just thought of the parking on um what whatever that road called River >> Riverstone. >> Yeah, Riverstone. So that parking along the north side that is not just restricted to resident. So any patron can park on that. I listen, I know this is not a design question, but I think what I'm getting to is not everyone's going to walk or ride their bike there. So, um, can someone either get dropped off by taxi, Uber, Andy Dart, Oakville Caravan, or themselves and be parked there? Because I know it's sort of a call dead street. >> Uh, through through you Deborah. Um so the question is concerning parking along the north side of Riverstone Drive. Um the the answer is yes. There will be parking uh on street parking that will be accommodated along Riverstone Drive as well as Milford Lane to support the park. >> Yeah. >> Sorry. Can I just ask >> I just want to ask is that going to be accessible parking? I think is that an important factor as well, Dean? is that it'd be accessible parking as well. >> Yes, there will be accessible parking. >> Any other questions, Dean? >> No, I if that paperwork or what I wrote down from followup really it just relates to some fine tuning and Oakville's got a good relationship with the Rick Hansen Foundation program recognized. I'm not saying you got to certify the park. I'm saying maybe there's another level of detail that can help out with on the deconstruction work that you're doing now. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, >> Karen and then Nora. >> Yeah, just to clarify with the parking, so to understand it, is it on street parking or is it designated parking for the park? >> It is. It's on street as in there will be spaces marked for the park but there's no metering. >> So it is intended for users of the park. >> Okay. >> Okay. Okay. Uh Nora and then uh councelor Gidding. >> Okay. Um one of the photographs that was there it looked like it was the wood going into cement. Is that seating or is that an accessible walkway? >> Thank you for that. >> I couldn't figure that one out. >> Yeah, no problem. So, that is actually um a seat wall height. It's a a seating element. So, it's about um 45 cm tall and it has comfortable wood slat seating. Um, it does not have a back, but we could certainly integrate a back uh back rests within that design. Um, it was just a conceptual precedent photo. >> Okay. It was just the way it was taken. I wasn't too sure. It actually looked like a walkway and people in wheelchairs can fall off the edge. So, that's what my my question was. Um, and also as far as the parking, are the spaces wide enough? because we have a large van. We don't have like a caravan for my husband >> and we have a lot of issues trying to get him in and out and people parking too close to him. >> Right. >> So, are we going to take a look at that to make sure every vehicle for anybody with a wheelchair or walker could get in and out easily? >> Yes, absolutely. It will be accessible and designed to our accessible parking spot standards and there is plenty of space which is good in this less urban context. So that that helps us as well. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks Nora Councelor Gidding. >> All right. Thanks for your presentation Carmen. Could you go back to slide number nine? The one with all the pictures on it. >> Thank you. There we are. >> Yes. >> So, in the bottom left corner, we've got the uh cedar shavings or whatever we call them. And above it, there's the green pathway uh cutting through the area. What will that material be? Well, that is um that is actually a precedent image um intended to show the engineered wood fiber playground which we have envisioned, right? >> Um unfortunately, we won't be able to put in rubberized surfacing for uh Riverstone Park because that is more for destination park sort of uh level or category of park. Uh but the entire surface of Riverstone Park's playground will be engineered wood fiber. All right. And are the facilities in I can't quite see it. Um, is that accurately portray what would be there? I take it there'll be uh swings of some sort. There'll be an accessible swing if it follows uh some of the other parks, a [clears throat] climbing apparatus. Just curious whether those will be accessible. Uh it's awfully tough pushing wheelchairs through wood chips. >> Yeah. Yeah, I I understand for sure. And that was some of the feedback we got as well from from the public. Uh ultimately this is more of a neighborhood level of park. So um I think at this time our parks and open space standards do call for an engineered wood fiber. Um, as for the play equipment, it will be accessible. That will be um a terms terms of reference for for the type of playground we procure. So that could be swings, it could be um the play the play equipment itself. And we are also looking to um address neurodeiverse uh issues as well through the playground. Um, the the intent of this image, and I'm sorry if it was misleading in any way, was just to show that it's going to be more of a natural material like wood as opposed to shiny, you know, shiny metal or plastic. So, it's going to take on a more sustainable design approach. Um, which is what the community would really like to see here. >> All right. Is it possible or do we have examples uh with three young grandchildren? I think I've been at all the parks in Oakville. Uh, is it possible to locate the accessible play structures, for lack of a better word, uh, to be easily accessible from the hard surface or the paved surface just to make it easier uh, to get young ones over there? >> Absolutely. It makes complete sense. So we can definitely emphasize that in our terms of reference. >> All right. And the top picture the with the uh roof in the semic-ircular area is that the type of shade coverage that we will have. >> Oh, sorry. Which which image are you talking about? the top left corner I believe it is. >> Oh. Oh, the pergola. Yes, it will. I mean, it won't take that exact form, but it's inspired. The inspiration is is like that where you've got an overhead um canopy feature that has can filter in some light without being fully shaded. That was uh a request by the residents to have like pure shade shelter but also one with uh filtered light. >> Well, thank you very much. Based on our current summers and the heat and the sun, uh I think we are seeing the future here in terms of the absolute necessity for more shade. >> Great. Thanks, Kermit. >> Thank you, David. Thank you. Are there any other questions at this point or comments? Yes, Karen. >> Just to follow up with Dave, that picture with the playground and had the green path through it, then you're saying that won't be there. >> No, no, that that was more of a precedent image and I apologize for it being misleading. But then to Dave's point, there will be access that a wheelchair can park on the outside of the the perimeter of the playground and then be able to try to access the equipment. So, the equipment will be positioned to be able to accommodate a wheelchair that has to stay on sturdier ground than the witches, right? >> Yeah. If if you look at the layout plan, um Aiden, would you mind pulling up the layout plan? Thank you. Um let's see. I think it's um just one more. Thank you. Um so so you can see around the playground there is I think it's about three three and a half meters wide. So there'll be plenty of space around the playground for access. And the way we've got it shown conceptually now is we've got the uh the curb ramp into the playground just on the west side of the play. Yeah, sorry. Yeah, west side of the playground. Um so there'll be plenty of space around there and we'll definitely ensure that even whatever ends up in the detail design will have ample space. >> Okay. As long as I think the equipment has to be positional for both kind of access, right? the the middle with the wood chips, but also if somebody has to stay on the periphery that they can access the equipment, >> right? >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh any other questions? Okay. Um I just have a a couple. Carmen, thank you very much. >> Um so you just briefly mentioned about the uh neurode divergence. So, is that something that um because I I think um in some of the playgrounds I've been to, I've been to a couple of Missaga and Hamilton is that uh I do find that they have a focus on that area as well. So, for example, uh for uh neurode divergent children or people a quiet area so they have like a a closed um seated area where the noise can stay out and uh that sort of thing. So, is that when you mentioned that is that the thing that you're considering is a a quiet zone for um for that. >> Yes. Yeah. So, I don't know if you're familiar with Coronation Park, but >> Yes. Very familiar. >> Yes. [laughter] So, so there is one feature in particular that that speaks to what you're talking about. So, >> okay. >> Um and uh the other thing I've noticed too and again speaking that is um in some parks they have t what they call um tactile panels. So it's where you know for the touch like again for um uh neurodyiver is that something as well that you would um consider >> um as an you know um for uh children? >> Yeah, I think we would definitely consider it. Um there's like we're we're pretty open to what the vendors um have available and would propose in their proposals. So I think, you know, obviously we do have a budget that and a certain amount of space to work with. So I' I'd love to have as much as possible to accommodate all sorts of needs. >> Yeah. Thank you. Because I do appreciate that. Um we you know focusing on accessibility is not just the physical accessibility but also the um neurode divergent um population as well. And one of the other things I've noticed in some of the parks, just as suggestions, is um they have um what they call um like a large uh rocker. So what it is is that you can bring your wheelchair up. It's a kind of a large swing kind of thing and you can bring the wheelchair up in there and then it can accommodate um people, not just wheelchair, but other people and then it sort of swings back and forths and rocks. Um because I do see in a lot of the playgrounds where they have the special swings, you know, the ones that but it's that requires you to lift your child. Um so some of the ones that I've seen have um and even some of them have the actual um a whirling it's called a whirling swing. Um and and I'm sure that your um uh the people that are doing this will be familiar with it, but a whirling swing again is um where you can bring your wheelchair in and then a parent or somebody can whirl them around so that they uh they get that. So again, you're not lifting um uh children in and out of a a wheelchair because that can be difficult at times as well. And one last question is um this might not just be accessibility but um I'm assuming that there will be uh accessible washrooms. >> No, there will not be a washroom facility. I'm so [laughter] sorry. >> Okay. because I was gonna I was asking about the accessible washrooms and whether they would be um open year round because that's one of the things we've found is that um the washrooms close during the winter and it's very difficult um you know in that area. So is there a reason why Yeah. Is it budget or >> Well, it's uh I did I I was actually going to speak to the fact that through the public consultation process, we to be honest, the uh the community really wanted to keep this park to be a really low-key sort of park. And they they mentioned certain things about how um I think it's I'm just trying to remember the name of the park that's up the street from from there. that's a larger park that has a washroom facility. And I think they they felt that for the space that we had to work with, they would rather put the use of that space towards um you know more of a recreational type of use rather than washrooms which um which are quite expensive as well. And I think overall they didn't really care for people hanging around the washrooms which you know that was the feedback we we received. >> Okay. I I find that interesting. You know with with children I mean having a washroom is sometimes um very important >> um because um >> yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So uh Nora and then Dean Sorry, Nora, you're on mute. >> There we go. I kept clicking. It wasn't working there. Um, washrooms are very important, especially with somebody in a wheelchair. And I think you need to look at somewhere. Um, first of all, all the wheelchairs are always push wheelchairs every time you see a photo. Okay. a lot of um you know grown-ups going there, a lot of children they use mobilized power wheelchairs. So I think we have to start looking at that and looking at different sizes and again with the wood chips, those wheels spinning in there, people getting spasms, knocking the chair off, um we really have to look at these items and see what's happening. washrooms. You need to have a washroom. What do you do with someone who has a lake bag, who has a catheter and it's filling up? Where where are we going to empty these things? >> I think that really needs to be thought of because you're just going to cause bowel and bladder issues. So, I think that's very important. And it doesn't have to be a big fancy thing, but something that someone with a wheelchair can go in and empty these other words. I mean, I've seen people and they're emptying it, you know, beside a tree. And you've taken away dignity. So, we're we're trying to help people, but yet we're taking away their dignity and independence. So, if we could look at those things, I understand people don't want kids hanging around or teenagers. I know exactly what you're talking about, but we still if we're doing this park especially for that, then we have to think about those things. >> Thank you for your feedback. I will take that back. >> Thank you. Yeah, I'm up. Pause means go. All right. So, uh, listen, I'm not trying to push back. It may sound that way, and I'm certainly not trying to run for any council board in that area, but I'm going to speak a little bit for the residents. I put context in this park as a neighborhood park, and I guess I'm here speaking on an accessibility feature. So, do I think all parks, all public spaces or broadly speaking, the town of Oakville should have means and ways to accommodate people who need a washroom as a basic need. Yes, I think we should start there in terms of more public washrooms within the community. That said, I'm very happy to see one that town consulted with the neighborhood. It's their park to begin with and it's great that they've got town homes fronting on with eyes on the site because [clears throat] I suspect this park went through some sept crime prevention to environmental design review because um listen you can look at the stats parks are sometimes as bad as they could be as good and um I think washrooms public washrooms I I I wouldn't have been saying this in 198 82 but in 2026 they are right with with so notwithstanding whether it's me whether it's um someone who's in need of a washroom that has some accessibility accommodation needs or for that matter a guide dog that has to relieve himself I think public washrooms are great but in the context here I don't see any push to try and get this design to start putting in the public washroom. The neighborhood already consulted with it. They talked about it as crime prevention. If that pet would actually approve a public park in the neighborhood like that, I'd be shocked. I'd be shocked. So anyways, I'm just again saying that I'm not saying it's not a bad idea. I'm just saying in the context of this project, no, if there were a public washroom, then I would start pushing for access to um that's all. Thank you. feedback that you've gotten from this committee will be beneficial as well as you move forward. >> Absolutely. Thank you for your time. >> Okay. So, with respect to this discussion item, um could I have a motion uh that the Riverside Park accessibility features uh be endorsed? Karen. Okay. All in favor? Okay. Thank you very much. So this will go forward that the above recommendations that have been approved by this committee will be presented to the council through receipt of these minutes um in accordance with the committee's terms of reference. Any advice or recommendation that requires action or implementation by town staff must be approved by town council and unless separated from the minutes by a motion from a council member, the recommendations are acknowledged as advice to council but not deemed as formal directives to staff. Okay. So, we have two um information items uh that uh you've received information on. So the first one is the Ontario government consultation advocating for stronger Ontario building code accessibility requirements. So at the end of July July 27th you would have received um an email um that where we were as a the committee the committee members received an email and I believe we had uh a week to give feedback. Uh so that's the uh this item and the second item is the Falerwood pool accessibility funding. So game this committee members we received an email on August 11th. My understanding is that there's been funding received of $125,000 um to improve access. Okay. So that's the um um items. So does anyone have any questions on uh on these items? Okay. And I will seek a motion uh that the item and information items be received. And Karen and all in favor. Okay. Thank you very much. So those are our items on the agenda. Um but before we adjourn, um I just wanted to um take this opportunity. And I know Andrea um wants to speak on behalf of the town. Uh but certainly on behalf of the the committee and the committee members. Um we wanted to recognize and thank uh councelor Giddings for um all his sage advice and support of this committee and we wish you well in your next chapter. So thank you. And Andrea has some words as well. >> Great. Thank you Deborah. Um so as as Deborah mentioned uh through you the chair before we conclude today's meeting I really did want to recognize that this is the final meeting of the 2022 to 2026 accessibility advisory committee term and we really just wanted to thank all of the committee members uh for your dedication your commitment and your valuable contributions you've made over the last four years. Your advice, your insights, your advocacy has really helped to make Oakville a more accessible and inclusive community. Um, and your volunteer service is sincerely appreciated. Uh, sincere thanks to Deborah uh for your leadership as chair. Your guidance and commitment uh have played an important role in the community's success. Um, and as you mentioned as well, we'd like to recognize uh councelor Dave Giddings for his service as the committee's council representative. as councelor Giddings is not seeking re-election. This marks the conclusion of his time uh in this role. And so councelor Giddings uh thank you so much for your support of the committee and your commitment uh to accessibility throughout this throughout your service. And on behalf of the town, thank you all for your contributions and your positive uh the positive impact you've made over this term. It really truly has been a pleasure working with you all. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Andrea. And uh thank you to all the support that we have received from the staff as well. I don't think we could have got through this without you. So thank you. We recognize that as well. So um just before we adjourn um there the next meeting just so you know it won't be uh a December meeting. The next meeting is going to be held um in January. Uh correct Lisa that is when the next meeting is going to be. January 20. Let's get the date right on that. 23rd. Oh, yeah. January uh 23rd uh 2027. That will be the next meeting. Um so I'd like to have a motion that this meeting be adjourned. Okay. Karen again. Thank you. All in favor? Thank you. Okay, that's a wrap. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Recording stopped.