Members of Mississauga Council and Staff Accessibility Resource Team with the Municipal Accessibility Award at Council.
The City of Mississauga’s Staff Accessibility Resource Team (StART) has won the Municipal Accessibility Award from the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA). The award recognizes individuals or groups who have shown great leadership in helping to improve accessibility in their city. This includes raising accessibility awareness through activities and programs.
“The Staff Accessibility Resource Team is an integral part of the City’s success in upholding accessibility,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “This award validates their ongoing work and support in enabling accessible and inclusive communities in Mississauga.”
StART was created in 2003 and includes City staff from various service areas where accessibility plays an important role in their work, like Facilities and Property Management.
“This is another great achievement in our work to remove barriers for all in the City,” said Pat Saito, Ward 9 Councillor and Accessibility Advisory Committee member. “I applaud StART members for being accessibility champions and working with the Accessibility Advisory Committee to identify the City’s goals and plan of action with an Accessibility Plan.”
In 2016, StART members were successful in maintaining the City’s accessibility commitments through the following achievements (see Accessibility Plan for more):
- Face-to-face training of more than 535 volunteers and staff on providing effective accessible customer service.
- Supporting 157 families that have a member with a disability through the Summer Recreation Inclusion Support Program.
- Constructing three new accessible trails and repaving nine existing trails.
- Completing the washrooms at Lisgar Fields and Dr. Martin L. Dobkin Park – each facility includes three accessible unisex washrooms, with one designated as universal.
- Hosting a High School ParaSport Try It Event – examples include wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, sledge hockey and sitting volleyball.
- Installing 365 new MiWay bus pads to make transit more convenient and accessible.
- Receiving the March of Dimes Award of Merit for Barrier-Free Design for Meadowvale Community Centre and Library.
“I am proud of the tremendous work and effort that StART has done to help create an accessible Mississauga,” said Matt Mahoney, Ward 8 Councillor and Accessibility Advisory Committee member. “By working together, we’ll continue to further improve accessibility and enhance people’s lives with new strategies and projects.”
“Congratulations to all StART members who have shown how important accessibility is for all residents and staff in the community and in the workplace,” said Raj Sheth, Director, Facilities and Property Management.
To learn more about how the City is improving accessibility in Mississauga, visit mississauga.ca/accessibility.