Burlington Seniors' Advisory Committee Meeting

Minutes

Meeting #:
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
Burlington Music Centre - Community Room
2311 New Street

1.
Members Present:
 

April Begg Goodis (Chair), Jim Young, Bob Lovell, Sarah Edgar, Carmen Menard, Wendy Moraghan, Sheila Burton, Tom Carrothers

2.
Member Regrets:
 

Kim Routledge

3.
Others Present:
 

Councillor Shawna Stolte, Rob Axiak (Manager of Recreation Services), Jim Thurston (Chair, Halton Older Adult Advisory Committee), Georgie Gartside (Clerk)

4.
Declarations of Interest:
 

None.

5.
Approval of Minutes:
 

6.
Delegation(s):
 

None.

7.
Regular Items:
 

7.1
Election of Chair and Vice Chair
 

On motion, April Begg Goodis and Jim Young were elected as Chair and Vice Chair, respectively of the Burlington Seniors' Advisory Committee, for the term to expire December 31, 2020.

7.2
Advisory committee review update
 

Jim shared that the working team met with advisory committee staff liaisons on Jan. 9 to get input on their report. The biggest changes being recommended are:

  • the selection process for new members.
  • would like to have committees provide input earlier on in the process.
  • trying to coordinate committees so they work better together. Coordination would go through ChAT and CiViC Group (City Vision Coordination Group).

The next step is a meeting on Jan. 23 with all advisory committee members.

7.3
2020 preliminary work plan discussion
 

The committee came up with a preliminary list of work plan items for consideration:

  • Seniors’ Month activities for June (flag raising, proclamation, pier lighting)
  • National Seniors’ Day – Oct 1. (flag raising, proclamation, pier lighting)
  • Burlington Farmers’ Market table
  • Wellness House fair attendance
  • Burlington Active Aging Plan 

Rob shared that there are 10 upcoming projects taking place in parks and suggested asking the city's park planners to attend a future BSAC meeting to get feedback on what older adults would like to see in parks. The committee could also provide input into Skyway Community Centre and Bromley Park. Also, there will be a membership review for the Seniors' Centre that the committee could participate in.

The committee agreed to have a full work plan discussion at its February meeting.


ACTION:

  • sub-committees to discuss potential work plan ideas for the February meeting.
  • Rob to provide suggestions of items from the Active Aging Plan that the committee could focus on.

7.4
Communications subcommittee update
 

April said the subcommittee met in December and talked about ways to gather more information in the community:

  • regular table at community centre once a month;
  • visiting the Seniors Action Group in Oakville; and
  • interacting with the four seniors groups in Halton (CARP, BSCI, Age-Friendly Council,  Partnering Aldershot Seniors Group).


April also noted that the Burlington Accessibility Advisory Committee has invited BSAC to joint them at the farmers market in the summer (once a month, June to September).

7.5
Advocacy subcommittee update
 

Sheila said the subcommittee met twice during the fall and their next meeting is scheduled on Jan. 27. They continue to review parks in the city and are continuing to stay involved in the free transit for seniors pilot project.

ACTION:

  • Georgie to arrange for Burlington Transit staff to attend in March or April to provide an update on the pilot project.

7.6
Staff update
 

Rob shared the following:

  • recreation programs are expanding throughout the city and will be fully implemented by September. Mountainside, Central, Mainway Auditorium and Tyandaga all have additional programming.
  • Concession provider is leaving and city staff are looking at changes to concession stands. Currently, there are concessions at Tansley Woods, the beach, and some arenas. Looking to convert Tansley Woods concession to a bistro with volunteers similar to the Seniors' Centre.
  • Membership numbers and rates will be looked at this year for the Seniors' Centre.
  • Seniors' Centre audio loop system is being installed this year at a cost of $30,000.

7.7
Roundtable stakeholder updates
 

a.
Burlington Public Library
 

Sarah provided the following update:

  • working with Partnering Aldershot Seniors Committee to find out what programs seniors in Aldershot are interested in and to make them aware of what already exists. Held a couple of events to link seniors to service providers in the community. Burlington Transit attended with a bus to provide a tour of the new route in Aldershot, and gave out seniors passes.
  • distributed a survey in Aldershot community about programming and received 100 responses.
  • there is trained library staff at every branch related to the dementia kits and residents can pick up kits at any library in the city.
  • library is offering programs related to dementia.

b.
Canadian Association for Retired Persons (CARP)
 

Tom shared:

  • CARP Halton has an updated website: https://haltonseniorsadvocacygroup.ca and they are willing to promote seniors items on the site. The goal is to also add resources and links to local government to the site.
  • on Jan. 23, Chris Bint will attend their meeting to talk about seniors and computers (Seniors' Centre at 6:30 p.m.).
  • they will discuss climate change at their Feb. meeting and osteoporosis in March.
  • one of their action items is to look at how to reach isolated seniors.

c.
Burlington Ready
 

Wendy said that Oakville is still in the process of launching Oakville Ready and they learned that Hamilton is also launching Hamilton Ready. A joint meeting between Oakville, Hamilton and Burlington is being organized for February or March. They will also be arranging to have other organizations/municipalities with a program already in place come speak to them about what has worked and what they would do differently (e.g. Brampton Lighthouse Program).

d.
Burlington Inclusivity Advisory Committee (BIAC)
 

Jim shared that city staff attended the January meeting to talk about the rainbow crosswalks project. 

e.
Burlington Accessibility Advisory Committee (BAAC)
 

Sheila shared that BAAC is happy to be recommended as a standalone committee with the advisory committee review. BAAC developed its 2020 work plan which will include:

  • a readability program – someone with a disability will go to the library to read books and tell stories to youngsters.
  • attendance at the farmers market – would like to know if BSAC is interested in joining them (9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. one Saturday per month June - September).
  • providing more awareness in the community around invisible disabilities.

f.
Integrated Transportation Advisory Committee (ITAC)
 

Tom advised that one of the outcomes of the advisory committee review that ITAC would like to see is being more involved with staff earlier in the process, rather than finding out what is in progress or has already happened.

g.
Halton Older Adult Advisory Committee (OAAC)
 

Jim advised:

  • he was elected as the chair of OAAC.
  • OAAC produces a number of information pamphlets and guides for older adults.
  • PACE pilot project up and running at 410 John Street and includes all-inclusive care for seniors such as chiropractor and physiotherapy. Program sponsored by the region, city, LIHN and hospital.
  • Community Development Halton released a report titled Our Halton 2018 Seniors.
  • emergency preparedness for persons with disabilities was brought forward to OAAC. An adhoc communications committee will meet to review the document.
  • upcoming for OAAC includes a seniors dental program, patients advocacy group and a speaker coming in to talk to them about an older adults justice department. 
  • OAAC will be going through the Halton Region Strategic Plan to see what they can advise on.

Jim will attend BSAC quarterly to provide updates.

8.
Other Business:
 

8.1
Resident letter 
 

Bob received a letter from a resident related to a healthcare accessibility issue. Councillor Stolte will share the letter with MPP Jane McKenna to respond to as healthcare falls under the provincial government.

9.
Adjournment: 11:56 a.m.
 

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