The Municipality of Lakeshore is looking for public feedback ahead of making accessibility improvements over the next four years.
Lakeshore's Accessibility Advisory Committee is working to create the 2023-2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan for the municipality.
Residents and stakeholders are invited to attend a community Open House on Thursday, Sept. 14 at the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to offer their input.
There is also an online survey which asks the public to share their experiences with accessibility in Lakeshore through the five key metrics outlined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), including customer service, information and communication, employment, built environment, and transportation.
Ward 3 Lakeshore councillor Kelsey Santarossa says they're not just talking about the physical and public spaces within Lakeshore.
"The transportation services that the municipality oversees, so taxis. We're talking about communication and how you receive information and make sure that's accessible. Are employment practices accessible to the general public and how are we doing with customer service, how can we make sure that we're making information and, of course, the public service available to the most folks possible," she says.
Santarossa says the feedback is crucial to the process.
"We have an incredible advisory committee, when it comes accessibility, that have been touring parks and things like that. But we are only a small group, so as with everything in public process, the more voices we have around the table, the more likely we are to not miss anything as we're going through the plan," she says.
Santarossa says she did a parks tour with the committee last week and went through a few things to consider.
"If we have an amphitheatre at Lakeview Park for example, one of the things that came up was if we can put a cement pad at the front, so that folks have a stable place to sit on the hill to watch a movie or a concert through some of our music series we host throughout the summer. So it's little things like that lead into the enjoyment of our public spaces," she adds.
Anyone offering input as part of the online survey will select the categories they would like to give feedback on, then share their experiences and provide recommendations on potential improvements.
Click here to find the community survey. Submissions will be accepted until Friday, October 20, 2023, at 5 p.m.