Open Air Questions Linger A Year Later – Undue Hardship?

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Last spring, following my delegation to council regarding Open Air, I emailed members of council.

2023

request: a description of the undue hardship the town would endure if all the Open Air barriers were to be removed so everyone could equally participate in the community, on and in publicly owned public spaces, as i explained on Monday, March 13, 2023.

two weeks later: it’s now been two weeks since i asked the question below which hasn’t been answered. if no elected official can provide a description of the undue hardship, maybe someone could find the answer from administration? or if members of administration are receiving emails to council, one could answer? I expect someone would know the answer and await it.

Councillor Pouget answered: I do not know the answer to your question.  Do I have your permission to forward your email to administration for their review and response?

2024

Followup subsequent to my delegation to council regarding Open Air Monday night, I emailed Councillor Pouget: did you ever get an answer to my question that i asked on march 15, 2023? 

march 15, 2023: i’m writing to request a description of the undue hardship the town would endure if all the Open Air barriers were to be removed so everyone could equally participate in the community, on and in publicly owned public spaces, as i explained on Monday, March 13, 2023.

Councillor Pouget answered: Sorry, I did not receive a response.

Email request to CAO Critchley, cc to council:

  1. council’s motion to approve Open Air for 2024.
  2. the cost of open air for 2023.
  3. what undue hardship the town would endure if open air ended.
  4. any documentation that administration included the exclusion of people with disabilities as a risk in an open air risk analysis.

Councillor Pouget answered:

  1. To my knowledge, there was no motion to approve Open Air in 2024.
  2. There is no official cost for Open Air in 2023 because it did not include the cost of our Public Works employees.
  3. I personally don’t believe there would be any undue hardship for the Town if open air ended.
  4. Council has never received any documentation to include the exclusion of people as a risk in an open air risk analysis.