Elaine55

GRCA apologizes for destroying birdhouses along Elora Cataract Trailway

GuelphToday

They need to remove the word "Conservation" from their name.

- Elaine55

City working on bylaw capping how hot it can be inside residential rental units

GuelphToday

"Extreme heat is the leading cause of illness and death from weather-related hazards in Canada. With climate change, it is predicted that the frequency, severity and duration of extreme heat events will continue to increase in Canada....[In 2021 in B.C.] there was a 100% increase in deaths among adults aged 50 or older during the heat dome. Many of the people who died had chronic health conditions, especially schizophrenia, depression, substance use disorders, diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory disease.“People don’t die because it is hot outside; they die because it is hot inside.” The heat inside a home without air conditioning can accumulate each day as it gets hotter and hotter outdoors. "(https://science.gc.ca/site/science/en/blogs/science-health/surviving-heat-impacts-2021-western-heat-dome-canada)

- Elaine55

Cutten Fields shares concerns about proposed student housing

GuelphToday

"the developer shared the building could accommodate student families, and could potentially be repurposed as apartments if the need for student housing declines." yetThe units would have kitchenettes, as well as shared kitchen spaces “to build community.”I wonder how many families or non-student renters would be satisfied having a kitchenette rather than a kitchen, and I wonder about food safety and cleanliness in a kitchen shared by/with large groups of students. Community or battleground?Also, if the development has such a negative effect on the golf course, why didn't the club buy the properties? Did the board just assume that the zoning would never change?It's an ugly building in the picture, and who knows what it would look like when actually built. Will the back side have a huge net to protect the windows from golf balls? Asking for a friend.

- Elaine55

Mobile ramps for businesses being proposed to increase local accessibility

GuelphToday

The Accessibility Advisory Committee should be consulted before this goes to council, rather than after it's been approved. Why? Because while ramps seem like a great idea, as a wheelchair user I need a landing at the top of the ramp where I can pause to open the door, or (ideally) a power door opener. I need a doorway wide enough to accommodate my wheelchair, and I need enough space inside the building to be able to move around and to turn around without bashing into displays etc. These are not things I ever considered before I began using a wheelchair, but they are points that mobility device users understand.Adding ramps may sound good and seem virtuous, but it doesn't equal accessibility.

- Elaine55

The SEED wins $10K small business grant

GuelphToday

Congratulations! It's a wonderful service.

- Elaine55

Council passes 'use it or lose it' water policy for developers

GuelphToday

Well done, council. Please limit the exceptions; developers already have too much power. If they don't want to build, sell the property to someone who will.

- Elaine55

ICYMI: New 159-unit retirement home slated for south Guelph

GuelphToday

There's nothing mentioned about affordability, but if Chartwell is involved you know it's going to be expensive. This city needs truly affordable rental properties for seniors: apartments that are barrier-free so people can age in place regardless of mobility issues. The city and the county need to ensure that EVERYONE can have affordable housing, not just the wealthy. Silver Maples at St. Joseph's Healthcare is a shining example of what Guelph needs, not more luxury suites.

- Elaine55

Cambridge man frustrated by enclosed mobility devices on city sidewalks

GuelphToday

Perhaps asking the question "Why would someone using a mobility device use the road?" would be helpful. Sidewalks have cracks between the slabs, and they are often uneven due to tree roots or poor maintenance. Riding on uneven surfaces can be painful, as mobility devices are not made with suspensions to cushion the ride. Paving stones are a nightmare for this reason. In addition, the constant bumping can loosen wiring and reduce the lifespan of these devices, requiring costly repairs and replacements. A pedestrian is "a person walking along a road or in a developed area." People who require mobility devices are not pedestrians, but they have fought for years for mobility and accessibility, and will continue to do so. The solution is shared pathways with smooth surfaces, such as asphalt; they work for pedestrians and everyone using wheeled devices, from bicycles to wheelchairs, scooters, and strollers. Sometimes it's good to be curious rather than judgemental.

- Elaine55

Recommendation calls for $18 million in additional downtown improvements

GuelphToday

St. Catharines has a 50-bedroom modular temporary shelter that can be moved elsewhere and reassembled after more permanent housing can be completed. It cost $2.6-million, and was opened within 6 months on a municipal parking lot. There are washrooms, showers, laundry facilities, a kitchen, and space for social services.Guelph could do this too; the parking lot south of the police station would be a possible site. It's not pretty, but it's a lot more humane than a tent. https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/niagara-region/modular-50-bed-st-catharines-homeless-shelter-coming-together-at-rapid-pace/article_5fd13751-965b-52b8-970d-58f61adecedb.htmlhttps://www.niagararegion.ca/housing-homelessness/temporary-shelter.aspx

- Elaine55

All Ontarians 75+ now eligible for RSV immunization program

GuelphToday

"As of mid-October 2020, Ontario’s publicly funded shingles immunization program transitioned from Zostavax® II to Shingrix® vaccine. The program eligibility remains the same, however Shingrix® is provided in a two-dose series. Ontario seniors ages 65 to 70 years will be eligible for the publicly funded Shingrix vaccine, provided they have not received the Zostavax® II vaccine through the Ontario publicly funded shingles immunization program." From the Ontario Ministry of Health website.

- Elaine55

Staff advise against self-cleaning washrooms for St. George’s Square

GuelphToday

I have used the self-cleaning toilet in Waterloo, which is just south of the main square. It works, but it is always wet inside. It has had some minor vandalism, but it is quite useful, especially for a wheelchair user like myself, as there aren't other accessible public options in the area. No, it couldn't be used as someone's home, as another person has commented, as it remains wet from cleaning between users. However, it doesn't stink like the washroom in Guelph's city hall square (when it's open). It's a humane option, and I'm disappointed that Guelph will not get an accessible 24-hour washroom downtown.

- Elaine55

City looks to buy surplus public school board property

GuelphToday

Looks like a great location for non-profit housing, if there was political will to make it happen.

- Elaine55

OPINION: A late night at council leads nowhere on affordable housing

GuelphToday

I suspect part of the problem is that City Hall and the Business Association don't want poor people living or being downtown. They somehow believe that building high-end condos will fill downtown with people who will support the bars, cannabis stores, and few remaining shops, while the low-income people who need to use the services downtown will simply live somewhere else, out of sight from the wealthy. They definitely don't want poor people in the same buildings as their wealthier clients.

- Elaine55

Public concern led to controversial draft bylaw’s return: mayor

GuelphToday

Taxpayers are already paying for significant costs for emergency healthcare, policing, and justice system involvement for those who are unhoused. It is much less expensive to provide subsidized supportive housing than to have people regularly attending the overburdened emergency room to deal with the multiple short and long-term health issues that come with living rough. How can someone maintain basic hygiene, or store prescribed medications, when constantly trying to maintain life without a roof over their head? When going to the hospital could mean everything they have is stolen? Study after study has shown that providing appropriate housing is the least expensive option by far, and frees up other stretched resources such as health care and the court system. Providing housing could mean avoiding spending days in the emergency room, waiting for a bed to become available after a serious injury. Where do you want your tax dollars to be most effective?

- Elaine55

Transit-only lanes, more roundabouts and more may be coming to Guelph

GuelphToday

Yes. "Raised crosswalks force drivers to slow down and reduce pedestrian accidents by 45%. Also referred to as speed humps, raised crosswalks force drivers to slow down to about 20 mph." (U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highways Division)

- Elaine55

UGDSB accepting applications for personal support worker program

GuelphToday

"PSWs play a vital role in the healthcare industry." Yes, they absolutely do play a vital role: PSWs coming into the home see patients (ideally) on a regular basis, have an important role in assessing and maintaining health status and living situations, as well as human contact for patients who may be very isolated. They have to provide their own transportation, often driving long distances between clients on a tight schedule.Why, then, are they often earning only $19 per hour with staggered or irregular hours, working for for-profit companies that are charging the government a small fortune to provide profits to their shareholders? These dedicated health care workers deserve better. Why would anyone spend so much time to learn to do so much for so little compensation and respect?

- Elaine55