Accessibility and Inclusiveness Plan Subcommittee
Minutes of a meeting
held in the Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 30 Laings Road
Lower Hutt on
Wednesday 14 August 2019 commencing at 3.30pm
PRESENT: Cr G Barratt (Chair) Jenni Dale
Paul Gruschow Helen Henderson (from 3.44pm)
Lois Ledingham Alexa Masina
Genevieve McLachlan Stew Sexton
APOLOGIES: There were no apologies.
IN ATTENDANCE: Mr S Keatley, Strategic Assets and Project Manager
Ms L Knowles, Community Facilitator
Ms J Randall, Committee Advisor
Ms R Bowman, Committee Administrator
PUBLIC BUSINESS
1. APOLOGIES
There were no apologies.
2. PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
3. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS
There were no conflict of interest declarations.
4. Minutes
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Resolved: (Cr Barratt/Ms McLachlan) Minute No. AIPS 19401 “That the minutes of the meeting of the Accessibility and Inclusiveness Plan Subcommittee held on Wednesday 12 June 2019, be confirmed as a true and correct record.” |
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Update on Aquatic Facilities (19/1017) The Strategic Assets and Project Manager advised that the Parks and Recreation division was currently upgrading its Facilities Management Plan to be more accessibility progressive. He noted that the age of some aquatic facilities within Lower Hutt directly linked to current inaccessability issues. He stated that there had been an improved diversity of customers attending Huia Pool due to accessibility upgrades of the facility. Mr Gruschow stated that he would like to see this improvement extend to Naenae Pool’s future facility. The Strategic Assets and Project Manager explained that when Naenae Pool was assessed in 2009, lack of accessibility was discovered. He clarified that the inaccessiblity was primarily due to the facility having been built in the 1950s. He stated that when Naenae had previously closed due to seismic risk, the facility was restrengthened in order to comply with modern building standards. The Strategic Assets and Project Manager advised that in order to make the proposed new Naenae facility more accessible, renovations required would include two additional lifts, larger changing rooms and improved ramps into the main pools. He stated that input from members would be necessary regardless of Council pursuing either option of restrengthening, or a complete rebuild. He noted that if Council decided to re-build, it would be easier to comply with accessiblity standards, but either way the revised facility must comply. He stated that the future of the Naenae Pool encompassed the wider issue of the vision for the Naenae community going forward. Ms Dale urged that all acessibility issues needed to be taken into account when designing future community pools. The Strategic Assets and Project Manager advised that the recently developed Huia Pool has been designed with accessiblity in mind, especially for the elderly and injured, as the facility incorporated a hydrotherapy pool. Ms McLachlan noted that Huia Pool was convenient for the disabled community in the Hutt Valley, as the only other hydrotherapy pool in the region was located in Kilbirnie. Ms Henderson joined the meeting at 3.44pm. The Chair advised that Council needed to go out into the community for consultation with all proposed options for Naenae. She noted that one option was building a completely new facility, and the other option was a hub attached to such a new facility. The Chair explained that Council was bound by such consultation, a process which would prove neither quick nor inexpensive. The Chair noted that it would most likely be another 3-4 years before a pool was installed. The Chair noted the pool closure in light of seismic damage was a positive opportunity as the facility had not originally been designed for the disabled. |
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Changing Places Restroom Update (19/1014) The Strategic Assets and Project Manager advised that he would shortly be reviewing the plans for the Changing Places/bike facility. He stated that Council had been considering combining these changing rooms with bike facilities in order to reduce building frequency within the Lower Hutt CBD, subsequently creating resource consent issues. He explained that the Changing Plances/bike facility project had progessed to initial architectural consultation. The Chair requested that the Community Facilitator forward plans for the Changing Places/bike facility to members for their feedback. In response to a question from a member, the Strategic Assets and Project Manager responded that the facility could potentially utilise either a swipe card or pin number system to be accessed securely. The Chair asked the Strategic Assets and Project Manager to present further updates on this project at the next meeting. |
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The Community Facilitator advised that she had liaised with the Blind Foundation regarding the official implementation of the Blind Square app. She said they had recommended that members needed to pinpoint how they envisioned the app beacons successfully functioning across the city. She explained that when the Blind Foundation was directed on the member’s vision, a quote to carry out the Blind Square app work could be produced. Referring to discussion from the previous meeting, the Community Facilitator clarified that the New Zealand Transport Agency would provide a subsidy towards funding the Blind Square app only when the total cost was provided. The Community Facilitator suggested establishing a project group comprising of members in order to review the Blind Square app’s practicalities. All members agreed to partake in the project group. The Community Facilitator agreed to organise the project group meeting. She also noted that she would investigate which financial year the Blind Square app installation would fall under, as the process of review and installation could span multiple financial years. |
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The Community Facilitator advised members that the Parks and Recreation Planner required guidance on the preferred location of trialling the accessible Beach Mats. The Community Facilitator presented two final location options for trialling the Beach Mats at either Petone Beach or Days Bay. Members agreed Days Bay would be more ideal as it was more sheltered and had more parking. Members agreed that Petone might be more accessible, yet Days Bay was regarded a more user-friendly beach. The Chair stated that it was important members knew where accessible parks were located in proximity of beaches. The Chair asked if maps could be provided which highlighted Lower Hutt’s accessible parks. Mr Sexton advised these types of maps were able to be downloaded on smartphone apps. |
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Biographies, ICT User Forms and Email Addresses (19/1016) The Community Facilitator distributed forms to enable members to acquire Council email addresses. The Chair encouraged members to arrange appointments with Council’s IT division to enable use of these email addresses through Outlook, rather than via other email servers. |
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10. QUESTIONS
Ms Dale asked the Chair if employment or volunteer work existed within Council for the disabled. She said she had been involved with Community Connections, an Upper Hutt based volunteer group assisting the disabled community with employment. In response, the Chair asked the Community Facilitator to inform members how they could liaise with Council’s Human Resources division. The Community Facilitator agreed to action this request.
In response to a question from a member, the Chair asked the Committee Administrator to follow up with Council’s IT division regarding why a member’s Council email address was not set up through Outlook software.
The Chair stated she would liaise with the Divisional Manager Democratic Services to decide on a suitable date for the next meeting before the end of the triennium.
Mr Sexton questioned the safety of the footpath camber around Days Bay. The Community Facilitator responded that Council had approved $50,000 to upgrade footpaths in Lower Hutt. The Community Facilitator advised she would discuss the matter with the Road Safety Coordinator regarding the specific areas in Lower Hutt where footpaths required upgrading to enable greater accessibility.
Ms Henderson said a disability swing should be installed in Avalon Park as she believed that Avalon Park was not inclusive because there were no recreational facilities available for disabled children. The Chair explained that in order to acquire funding, members needed to work out the cost and then apply for funding through Council’s Community Panels. Members agreed to make further enquiries in the wider community surrounding the concept and practicalities of installing a disability swing. The Chair asked the Community Facilitator to liaise with the Team Leader Parks to provide a quote for the cost of a disability swing.
Ms Dale raised the issue of discrepancies around support for disabled youth in the community. She asked the Chair what services were available in Lower Hutt for disabled youth struggling with the transition from school into the workforce. The Chair responded that she would discuss this issue with Ms Dale at a later date.
There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 4.29 pm.
Ms J Miller Cr G Barratt
CHIEF EXECUTIVE CHAIR