Pickering accessibility focus groups will give residents, caregivers and community organizations several ways to help shape the city’s next Multi-Year Accessibility Plan in November.
The City of Pickering announced the sessions on October 21. They build on earlier consultation and are intended to gather direct accounts of barriers in municipal services, programs, buildings and public spaces.
The city says the feedback will help determine accessibility priorities over the next five years. The invitation includes people who encounter barriers themselves, as well as relatives, support people and organizations that work alongside them.
Sessions organized by community experience
People with disabilities and others with lived experience of accessibility barriers can attend an in-person session on Tuesday, November 3, from 9:30 to 11 a.m., or a virtual session on Tuesday, November 10, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Family members, caregivers and support persons have an in-person session on November 3 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Their virtual option is Thursday, November 12, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
For community organizations, service providers and partners, the scheduled in-person session is Thursday, November 5, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The virtual session for that group is Tuesday, November 17, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Those six sessions’ in-person meetings will use the O’Brien Room at the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex. Refreshments will be available. Registered virtual participants will receive meeting details by email before their session.
An additional library meeting
The city is also offering an extra in-person opportunity for people who cannot attend their designated group. That meeting will take place at Pickering Central Library on Thursday, November 5, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. It is separate from the morning session at the recreation complex.
Residents unable to join a focus group can still contribute through the city’s online accessibility survey. Registration information and the survey are linked through the city’s consultation materials.
The announcement asks participants to discuss what is working, where obstacles remain and which changes would make the greatest difference. The focus is on experiences using municipal spaces and services, rather than on a pre-announced list of approved construction projects.
People can register through the online form linked in the city’s announcement or contact Accessibility Coordinator Timothy Higgins at 905-420-4660, extension 3608.
Durham Radio News also reported the consultation invitation on October 21. The city’s detailed schedule is the primary source for session times and locations, including the additional library meeting.
