In response to concerns, the Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district has taken steps to bolster safety at École North Oyster, south of Nanaimo.
The school’s parent advisory committee petitioned the B.C. government for better road safety around the Cedar Road school property in 2018, a school travel action plan was concluded in 2019, and a committee comprised of district staff, the province and ICBC was assembled. Trustees were provided an update at the Wednesday, Dec. 7, business committee meeting.
Mark Walsh, secretary-treasurer, said the situation is unique from other schools with safety issues, as North Oyster is in a rural area, on a route managed by a jurisdiction the school district doesn’t deal with regularly – the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
The district is paying $12,000 annually for crossing guard expenses, the report stated. In addition, district staff told the News Bulletin it has spent $16,000 on a portable sign that displays drivers’ speed, $14,500 on an asphalt path from a crosswalk to the school entrance and $6,500 on barriers to protect parking entrances.
As part of an agreement to provide water to the nearby North Oyster Community Centre, the school district has access to that parking lot, allowing for better student drop-off and pick-up, although the report said students being dropped off along Cedar Road is still an issue. Walsh said staff are still having discussions with school administration on improvements that can be made.
The B.C. Ministry of Transportation added an illuminated crosswalk, but other road improvements including rumble strips, speed bumps, painting on the road indicating a school zone and a pedestrian-activated crosswalk were not supported. Staff told the News Bulletin the ministry had performed traffic counts and “under specifications, the amount of traffic did not warrant the work.”
At the meeting, Greg Keller, school board chairperson, referred to the situation as “unfortunate.”
“I would really like to see what, if anything, our board could do to help that process along because I think the ministry might benefit from, perhaps, meeting with some of our trustees and touring around our schools that happen to be served by MOTI roads, so that we can explain what the concerns are and how we can work together,” Keller said at the meeting.
He told the News Bulletin he will submit a notice of motion to address the issue at the Jan. 11 business committee meeting.
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karl.yu@nanaimobulletin.com
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