Elliot Lake's Accessibility Advisory Committee (ACC) will take a look at progress the city has made this year in rendering city-owned facilities fully accessible.
At the committee's virtual meeting on Tuesday afternoon, members will look at several reports from Community Development Officer Amanda Laurence.
"The Inclusive Community Grant was received in early March, 2021 for $60,000 to retrofit existing picnic tables to make them accessible, create accessible pathways to picnic tables that needed them, order more benches for (placement) around (the) community, and install charging stations for electronic mobility devices, as well as advertising and marketing for the charging stations," Laurence wrote, in the first report.
"Retrofitting picnic tables has almost been completed. The pathways are under review by (the) Public Works Department," she continued.
"Benches have arrived and are being put together and installed at locations identified by AAC and city staff (13 benches total).
"They include one by (the) Funeral Home, on Hillside Park in front of the CIBC, some on (the) trail system from (the) new sub into town, the Nordic trail/park and on the north/south side of Hillside-Mississauga Avenue," she said.
There will be four benches, possibly more, along the trail from the Boardwalk to Spruce Beach. They may be installed when accessibility upgrades are made to that trail if funding is received through the Healthy Communities Grant.
City staff has met with H&C Poleline to determine cost and installation of charging stations. Each one costs $734 and the budget for the stations is $25,900.
It's also been suggested the city get businesses involved in the program.
The city would cover cost of charging station installation, signage and marketing, and businesses would cover the cost of the electricity used.
Suggested charging station locations include the area from New Sub into town, the Elliot Lake Boat Launch, the Collins Hall, City Hall, Miners' Memorial, Spine Beach, the Rio Den area, Paris Park and the Cemetery.
Laurence also reported an application the city submitted to the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative Fund was turned down.
Elliot Lake had sought $250,000 for accessibility upgrades to the trail from Spruce Beach to the Elliot Lake Boat Launch.
Despite the rejection of the grant application Laurence feels it may not be too late.
"I believe this project should continue to be on the committee’s radar," Laurence said. "Wikwemikong Tourism specializes in trail development and has worked at making trails accessible.”
She said the agency's Tourism Trail Development Services specializes in planning, designing and building non-motorized trail systems for First Nations and Municipalities.
"Their trail specialists assist in planning, constructing and training communities in sustainable trail practices," she wrote.
Wikwemikong Tourism will provide a quote for an assessment of what would be required to make the Spruce Beach to the Boat Launch, Accessibility for Canadians with Disabilities Act (AODA) compliant.
The Committee has also received an update report on progress made at various city sites and facilities toward making them accessible. In the “mostly complete” category are Spruce Beach, Spine Beach and Westview Tent and Trailer park.
The Elliot Lake Boat launch is fully completed.
Facilities with washrooms to be completed this winter include Westview Park, Trailhead Information Centre and Kiwanis Park.
Rated as not accessible at this time are Burley Park Playground, Glendon Park Gardens, Paris and Axsmith Park, Roman Avenue Park, Kain Crescent Park, Nordic Park, Esten Park Public School and McCarthy Lake Boat Launch.
The Accessibility Advisory Committee, chaired by Coun. Tom Turner, will hold its virtual meeting Tuesday afternoon at 5 p.m.