The Parks and Recreation (P&R) Community Disability Steering Committee is made up of members and stakeholders of People With Disabilities (PWD) who advise and help support P&R in their mission to be a fair and equitable service provider to all.
The Committee discussed the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan and Parkland Strategy as they stand at the five years in point, planned accessibility improvements for the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal and the island ferry, , accessibility features of the Earl Bales JumpStart playground, and received updates on the committee web page, 2025 meeting schedule, and recreational programming offered by both P&R and a couple of disability service agencies.
Download the June 19, 2025 meeting minutes.
The Committee discussed the accessibility improvement plan for the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal and island ferry landings, reviewed the focus areas of the 2025 committee work plan, and received updates on the proposed P&R/CDSC web page as well as Adapted and Inclusive recreation programming.
Download the April 10, 2025 meeting minutes.
The Committee discussed the Facilities Plan and Parkland Strategy Five-Year Review, Bluffer’s Park East Washroom Beach, general beach accessibility and the publication of the meeting minutes online.
Download the February 20, 2025 meeting minutes.
Committee membership represents a range of disabilities, either through lived experience or through leadership and advocacy within the disability community, along with diverse cultural and racial identities. This includes representation from:
Recruitment is now open for new members to join the Community Disability Steering Committee (CDSC).
As a CDSC member, you will also serve as a community ambassador, helping to bridge the voices of disability community with City staff.
For more information or to express your interest, call CDSC co-chair Jermeen Baddour at 647-472-1449.
Review policies and strategies as they come up to ensure they align with accessibility priorities.
Develop resources that support accessibility improvements and best practices.
Work on recruitment strategies to ensure diverse and inclusive representation.
Identify and prioritize specific locations for site visits across the City to assess accessibility.
Gather feedback from participants, the community and staff to identify barriers and collaborate on solutions to improve accessibility and inclusion in programming.
Maintain the committee’s role as a resource for Parks and Recreation projects and initiatives to receive informed feedback and recommendations.
Here is a selection of the committee’s recent contributions to accessibility and inclusion across the city.
Touring and providing feedback on how accessibility can be improved at new community centres, like:
Providing feedback on enhancing the accessibility of purchasing tickets at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal and on the ferry trip to and from the island.
Developing summary educational documents for park designers and potential presenters to the committee.
The following were developed by the steering committee.