ACAT Meeting - January 26, 2012

Agenda is not available for this meeting.
Please check the meeting minutes for meeting details.

Agenda is not available for this meeting.
Please check the meeting minutes for meeting details.

Agenda is not available for this meeting.
Please check the meeting minutes for meeting details.

Agenda is not available for this meeting.
Please check the meeting minutes for meeting details.

Valdo Tammark, Chair, called the meeting to order at 1:11 p.m. and attendance was taken.

Howard Wax reviewed the Conflict of Interest definition for the benefit of the new members.

Nil.

Valdo Tammark, Chair, reviewed housekeeping issues for the benefit of the new ACAT members. Following are the various points the Chair requested that members of ACAT keep in mind.

Participation in public forums and People in Motion are considered as extracurricular activities and are not considered part of the duties that members undertake relevant to ACAT general meetings and subcommittee meetings. It is recognized that individuals will have time constraints. Members are encouraged to attend these sorts of events but their attendance will not be monitored.

When members are asked to reply to e-mails, they are requested to just reply to the one person who sent it and not to “Reply All’. Important e-mails should only be sent to Dean Milton, Janet O’Sullivan, and Glenn Johnston. Do not send e-mails to the entire TTC staff.

Members are allowed to attend Subcommittee meetings that they are not members of, but are requested to first ask the Chair of that Subcommittee and the staff involved due to space limitations and as a courtesy.

ACAT meetings follow Robert’s Rules of Order.  In those rules, silence is golden, meaning that silence infers agreement. As such, it was requested that members do not have to always raise and wave their hands if they are in agreement, only if they are opposed. 

When reviewing minutes for approval, members are asked that they focus only on omissions or any other significant errors but not punctuation and grammar.

The new approved name for the group is the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit. This may take some time to consistently be enforced so members were asked to be patient if they see the old name mentioned from time to time.

All members are to be treated with respect, professionally, and with patience. 

By request, a new member asked that the names listed in the minutes to receive copies, have their positions documented as well so the members will know who they are. It was noted that since the minutes follow the standard template that is used throughout the TTC, this is not something that they can start doing. It was decided, however, to list their titles in these minutes for a one time reference, as follows:

Gary Webster, Chief General Manager
Andy Byford, Chief Operating Officer
David Dixon, General Manager - Operations
Bill Frost, General Superintendent - Bus Transportation
Vince Rodo, General Secretary
Sameh Ghaly, General Manager of Major Capital Construction 
Jim Teeple, Deputy General Manager – Rail 
Mitch Stambler, Manager - Service Planning
Chris Upfold, Chief Customer Service Officer

Other individuals from TTC’s conventional side will be attending the monthly ACAT General Meeting on a rotating basis to be a point of contact as well as to have an understanding of issues related to customers with disabilities.

On motion of Dorothy Creaser and seconded by Brayan Bratanov, ACAT reviewed and approved the agenda with amendments.

On motion of Dorothy Creaser and seconded by Carol Anne Monet the December 15, 2011 minutes were approved with amendments.

On motion of Howard Wax and seconded by Anna Noviss the January 12, 2012 minutes were approved.

Nil.

Nil.

Design Review Subcommittee (DRS)

Craig Nicol, Chair, provided an update for the Design Review Subcommittee (DRS).

Since the December ACAT meeting, the DRS had one site review and two meetings. Items include:

• DRS conducted a site review of the proposed curb ramp designs for use in accessing the accessible module of the new streetcar where no platforms exist in mixed traffic situations.
• In a January 11th meeting, DRS provided further feedback on the City curb ramp design, agreeing on an acceptable design.
• The City Transportation Department made a presentation on a proposed wayfinding strategy for the City. Public meetings are expected in late March.
• On the Outstanding Items List, DRS finalized an outstanding and ongoing items list for the use of incoming Subcommittee members and staff in carrying on DRS work in 2012.
• Eglinton Crosstown Line and Stations: A presentation of the Eglinton West LRT / Subway Interchange Station was received with DRS providing feedback on accessibility considerations to design staff. This station and other Eglinton Crosstown information is available on the project website at www.thecrosstown.ca
• Further to discussions from February 2011, DRS reviewed a sample Passenger Assistance Intercom (PAI) button for use in new installations at elevators, DWA, and unattended fare lines.  It is anticipated that in the future the new button may replace the “push and talk button” in existing stations.

Service Planning Subcommittee (SPS)

Anna Noviss, Chair, provided an update for the Service Planning Subcommittee (SPS). SPS had meetings on January 11 and January 25, 2012.

The Subcommittee’s draft paper summarizing the activities of the 2011 ACAT Subcommittees in the classification and assessment of public comments as a result of the 2011 Public Forum was reviewed by the Subcommittee and minor corrections were made. It was then agreed by SPS that this report would be given to the 2012 SPS as a guide for its 2012 Public Forum tasks. The report largely consists of excerpts from the approved minutes of the SPS meetings which were already provided to ACAT during 2011. This item was taken off the SPS Outstanding Items List.

TTC Training Department Staff, led by Marianne Minaker, presented the revisions to the Traveller Handbook and two other documents for the Train-the-Trainer Program that had been suggested by the Subcommittee.

The list of Outstanding Items for the SPS and the list of Major Ongoing Matters for the consideration of the 2012 SPS were approved after being revised.

The various materials will be provided to the 2012 SPS and any other ACAT members who request them.

The minutes of the January 11, 2012 meeting were approved and will be forwarded to Wheel-Trans for inclusion in the February ACAT meeting package. It was suggested paper copies also be available at the ACAT General Meeting today for anyone who was interested in receiving an early copy.

The first meeting for the 2012 SPS is tentatively set for Friday 15, 2012.

An ACAT member noted that there were reports available from the Public Forums of previous years on the website.  He asked if a 2011 Public Forum Report also would be put on the website for the public to review.  Glenn Johnston noted that this had already been discussed at the subcommittee meetings and it is the staff’s intent to produce reports in February on the 2011 year end Accessibility Plan and on the Public Forum, including a summary of the public comments which the ACAT Subcommittee classified. Reports to the Commission, including the TTC accessibility plans, are available on the TTC website.  

The Communications Subcommittee and the Wheel-Trans Operations Subcommittees did not meet since the last ACAT meeting so no updates were provided.

The next Commission meeting occurs next Tuesday so no matters were available for discussion.

An ACAT member wanted to express thanks for the summary e-mails that Brayan Bratanov has been sending which reviews information on TTC and accessibility issues that are covered in the media. Brayan noted that it is his intent to help share that information and was thankful to be acknowledged for the work he was doing.

The new Subcommittee Members list was distributed to ACAT. Brayan Bratanov reviewed the distribution of the ACAT members into their respective Subcommittees.  This list is still titled as PROPOSED so things may still change.  Members were requested to speak with the Chair about what comes to mind with the ACAT group.

Action: The new Subcommittee Membership list is to be sent out electronically to all ACAT members.

Nil.

An alternative date of Wednesday, September 26, 2012, for the ACAT General Meeting was suggested in place of Thursday, September 27, 2012. Members were requested to “spread the word” to anyone who needs to know as this deviates from the normal Thursday dates.

An ACAT member suggested that, since Wheels-Trans has moved to Commissioners Street, to ensure that ACAT Subcommittee meetings continue to be held at locations where there is an accessible station so that members who like to use conventional transportation can still do so, and not require Wheel-Trans. 

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, February 23, 2012, in the 7th Floor Boardroom, 1900 Yonge Street.

On motion by Dorothy Creaser and seconded by Brayan Bratanov the meeting was adjourned at 1:53 p.m.

Sara-Jane Brocklehurst
Recording Secretary