Chatham-Kent's age-friendly activists already have a number of ideas for municipal improvements, should they get municipal committee status.
WIth the World Health Organization officially deeming Chatham-Kent an "Age-Friendly Community," a number of residents are ready to maintain and build upon the WHO's expectations. The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit (CKPHU) is preparing to ask Council to create an official Age-Friendly Committee, which would be chaired by Dr. David Colby.
"We need a co-ordinator and all these details. We've been floating around meeting for the last year, without a clear mandate. So that's what we're looking for," says Colby.
Those informal meetings have already produced some ideas for making Chatham-Kent more age-friendly. These include making sure streetsigns are large and visible, increasing accessibility standards, and just making communities more walking-friendly.
"Even having some washrooms available for the public downtown while walking around downtown. If you get caught unawares, what are you going to do? That's just one example," adds Colby.
THe CKPHU will be approaching council in November to ask for committee status for the age-friendly crew.