ACAT Meeting - March 31, 2016

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.

The meeting was called to order at 1:03 p.m. and attendance was taken.

A moment of silence was observed by the Committee for Councillor Rob Ford who passed away on February 22, 2016.

On a motion by Howard Wax and seconded by Debbie Gillespie, the agenda was approved with the following amendment.

• An agenda item was added, "Update on Terms of Reference", under New Business.

On a motion by Howard Wax and seconded by Debbie Gillespie, the minutes of February 26, 2016 were approved with amendments.

• Decision by consensus that meeting attendance of pool members will be recorded only when they are present and not as regrets.
• Page 5, Item #8, 2nd paragraph, last line – Delete the statement about staff training.
• Page 6, 1st paragraph – Updates on the “Flash Card” and “Travel Assistance Card” were listed separately.

The Subcommittee Reports will address some of the outstanding items.

Marian McDonell clarified the Communications Subcommittee is working on two items, namely 1) a flash card to indicate to Operators to deploy the ramp, and 2)  a travel assistance card for people with invisible disabilities.

Nil.

Design Review Subcommittee (DRS) - Raymond Dell'Aera, Chair

Raymond Dell'Aera reported that DRS had a meeting on March 16, 2016. DRS reviewed a draft of the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines and was asked to provide feedback. Members made recommendations on the sections relating to bus shelters, bus stops, and terminal platforms.

Adrian Piccolo, Chief Architect - TTC Engineering Department, was present at the meeting and discussed the tactile wayfinding paths on TTC platforms. The proposed tile layout for these paths was 600 millimeters wide and this differed in size and width from the International ISO standard of 300 millimeters wide. Adrian Piccolo agreed that the TTC standard going forward would be 300 millimeters wide in order to meet the ISO/CSA standards. A feasibility study will be conducted regarding the proposed retrofit.

Scott Haskill, TTC Senior Planner – Transit Service, discussed the proposed changes to the font and content of the electronic destination signage on the new streetcars and buses. Since its implementation, the font has been displayed in all upper case. The proposed changes would make the electronic signs in mixed case, so that they are easier to read and more legible from a distance.

A site visit to Main Street Station took place on March 29, 2016. Main Street Station is the first station to receive the PRESTO fare gates. All ACAT members were invited to test out the gates and identify accessibility issues. Feedback will be summarized and emailed to the respective parties.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

Angela Marley stated that individuals using wheelchairs might have difficulty reaching up to slide their Metropass, as the sliders are higher than the ones on existing accessible fare gates. She also encouraged all ACAT members to visit the station to understand the ergonomics of the station and be able to give feedback.

Communications Subcommittee (CS) – Marian McDonell, Chair

No CS meetings were held since the last ACAT meeting.

Service Planning Subcommittee (SPS)

No SPS meetings were held since the last ACAT meeting.

Wheel-Trans Operations Subcommittee (WTOS)

No WTOS meetings were held since the last ACAT meeting.

The TTC Board Meeting took place at City Hall on March 23, 2016. The Board accepted the approved January 29, 2016 ACAT minutes and asked ACAT Chair Mazin Aribi to give the ACAT meeting highlights. Mazin Aribi reported that ACAT will be working with staff on the Wheel-Trans 10 Year Strategy plan and that the Design Review Subcommittee (DRS) will be making a site visit to Main Street Subway Station to review the new PRESTO Fare Gates.

The Board approved the Staff Report recommending the new 514 Cherry Streetcar route, operating between Distillery Loop and Dufferin Gates loop via Cherry Street, King Street, and Dufferin Street. This route will provide new east-west accessible streetcar service earlier than originally planned, by advancing the deployment of low-floor streetcars on the central section of King Street effective June 19, 2016.

Also approved were the introduction of the revised 72 Pape (Pape Station-Union Station via Queens Quay) bus service between Pape Station and downtown; introduction of a new 121 Fort York-Esplanade bus service, operating between the Fort York neighbourhood and the Distillery District via Union Station, and the elimination of the 172 Cherry Street bus route.

The next TTC Board Meeting is on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at City Hall.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

The new 514 Cherry accessible streetcar route, providing east-west accessible service south of Wellesley, is encouraging for people needing the accessible service. However, accessible access to this 514 Cherry route is limited, the only connections north to Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) being via the 29 Dufferin, 510 Spadina, and to Line 1 at St. Andrew Station. East of University Avenue, there is no access to an accessible subway station. Although 514 Cherry also connects with 6 Bay, 75 Sherbourne, 65 Parliament, and Line 1 at King Station, customers who need an accessible connection cannot then transfer to Line 2 or the Yonge Line due to lack of elevators at Bay, Sherbourne, Castle Frank, and King stations. This impedes accessible connections to the downtown core from the east.

The matter was referred to the Service Planning Subcommittee to examine and suggest possible interim solutions such as routing the 65 Parliament to Broadview Station until either the Sherbourne or Castle Frank Stations become accessible.

A CLP meeting was held on March 9, 2016 chaired by Arthur Borkwood, Head of TTC Customer Development. CLP Members received an update on PRESTO and the Fare Gate Project with Main Street Station being the first subway station to have the new fare gates installed. Members gave their observation on the construction phase. The fare gates are operational with the swiping of TTC passes. Upon completion of testing, it would fully be able to process either the TTC pass swipe through the swipe machine positioned on the top of two of the fare gates or the PRESTO card tap on the front of the remainder of the fare gates. Members were requested to review and report on their use of the Main Street Station fare gates.

Staff also gave a presentation on the bike strategy.

CLP Members provided observation on their transit use.

The next meeting is on April 13, 2016.

Nil.

Lynn McCormick attended the first PED meeting held on March 30, 2016. The group was made up of 15 people present for the meeting. The goal of this group was to reduce the number of suicides; a rough estimate of the budget was set for $10 million dollars per station. The issue of reducing the gap in order to prevent suicides, children dropping their shoes and toys between the platforms was discussed. Meetings will be held quarterly, so there is no set date for the next meeting.

There are two accessible routes (509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina) that pass by the Queens Quay Ferry Docks Terminal Accessible stop; however, the elevator at this stop has been out of service since February. No date for a return to service is given. ACAT is requesting an action and a timeframe for the elevator to return to service.

Matt Hagg stated that the elevator is on third party property and is out of service because certain parts of the elevator have corroded and is not safe for public use. The TTC has requested that the third party developer repair and return this elevator back to service as soon as possible.

ACAT members suggested that there should be a statement communicated to members of the public to assure there is work going on at the moment to rectify the issue. Marian McDonell suggested that this information can be updated on the TTC website.

There will be a PRESTO presentation at the April ACAT meeting.

The People in Motion Show will be held at the Queen Elizabeth building on May 27 and May 28, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. An email will be sent to all ACAT members encouraging them to volunteer at the ACAT booth.

During the ACAT Executive Quarterly Meeting with the TTC Chair and CEO, it was mentioned that, whenever TTC Operators have to drop off commuters at an alternate location, Operators should let customers with vision impairments know exactly where they have been dropped off in order to make commuting easier and assist with orientation. Debbie Gillespie commends the TTC for enforcing this suggestion and for communicating it to the TTC Operators who have started informing the members of the public.

The Executive have met with Staff regarding the Terms of Reference Update. A draft of the proposed changes will be sent to members when available, including a rationale for why each change is proposed, and why some changes proposed by members are not included.