City of Ottawa Accessibility Spotlight - March 2018

AccessAbility Day 2018 - Thursday May 31 Mark your calendars! The City of Ottawa in partnership with Ottawa Public Health is pleased to celebrate AccessAbility Day 2018. Where: Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave. West When: Thursday, May 31, 2018 More information to follow. Public Engagement Accessibility Features The City of Ottawa is committed to the provision of accessibility accommodations for residents with disabilities to provide equal participation in City public meetings. FM Loop assistive listening devices, which provides clear speech/sound and a reduction in background noise, can assist people with hearing loss. They are available for use in Council Chambers and rooms at City Hall for members of the public who attend City meetings. In addition, the City has recently invested in new equipment and technology to improve resident engagement. After conducting a review of City Hall spaces, a number of equipment upgrades at City Hall include: Increased accessible chair/seating options An active subwoofer and an advanced telephone conference system for enhanced sound quality Larger TV screens to display captioning and presentations Since the City of Ottawa also holds public engagement events outside of City Hall, investments in portable equipment options for offsite public engagement events, are now also available upon request. These equipment systems include: A portable public address sound system that provides better sound quality and voice projection, and includes the Williams Sound FM loops system for hearing loss; works with cochlear implants and also with regular headphones A portable discussion system that has wireless accessible conference microphones, a soundboard includes the Williams Sound FM loops system for hearing loss; works with cochlear implants and also with regular headphones For more information on the provision of accessible accommodations during the City’s public engagement events please contact publicengagement@ottawa.ca. Financial Aid - Ottawa Hand in Hand The City of Ottawa offers help with program fees so that all residents can take part in recreation and culture activities regardless of their ability to pay. If you are already a participant in a community or social service agency program, or if you are an individual or family with a low-income, you may qualify for the Ottawa Hand in Hand recreation and culture fee support program. To apply for the Ottawa Hand in Hand, Recreation and Culture Fee Support: Step 1: Print the application form (PDF opens in a new tab or window) at home, or pick one up at most staffed recreation facilities or at a Client Service Centre. Step 2: Complete the application form. Step 3: Bring the completed application form to your local recreation or cultural facility. A supervisor will review the application for approval.

Remember, you can request accessible formats of City public documents and we welcome your disability-related feedback on the accessibility of our services, programs and facilities through the following channels: by phone at 3-1-1 and TTY (613-580-2401); by e-mail to the Accessibility Office at accessibilityoffice@ottawa.ca; and   in person at any of the City’s service locations.