Council Says No To Adult School Zone

By Robert Thomas

It is not very often that stopping a school zone is seen as a neighbourhood victory but that was the case on Monday evening as Council decided not to approve a school zone surrounding Sask Polytechnic.

The school zone would have effectively reduced the speed limit in the streets surrounding the campus from 50 km/hr to 40 km/hr in line with all other school or playground zones within the city and had been requested by Administration at Sask Polytechnic.

The request came as part of the report from the Public Works, Infrastructure and Environment Advisory Committee who had been studying the issue after the request came in from Sask Polytechnic.

In the written request from Lee Pierce, manager of health, safety and security, Pierce wrote in an e-mail that there had been numerous complaints from students, staff and faculty from the educational institution about “near misses between the students and passing motorists.”

Pierce further wrote that according to security staff at the institution there were a number of vehicles whose speed was “well above” the posted 50 km/hr limit. The email does not indicate which streets and when the speeding was alleged to have occurred, the times and the qualifications of the security staff to make the observations.

In response to the email the City had conducted a traffic warrant review and found that on the basis of the review all four streets - 1200 block of 7th Avenue NW, 1200 block of Algoma Avenue, Saskatchewan Street West and MacDonald Street West - qualified for the school zone speed designation.

The Sask Polytechnic application met the conditions of the traffic warrant to reduce speeds due to an elementary or high school abuts the road and parkland abuts the road to and used to gain access to the elementary or high school.

In his email Pierce pointed out that at Sask Polytechnic campus in Saskatoon that there had been speed improvements and reductions in an effort to increase safety. Kelsey Campus is located on Idylwyld Drive in the Bridge City and is one of the major thoroughfares running north and south in that city.

Speaking before Council resident Art King spoke in opposition to the request.

“I would like to bring to your attention the City of Saskatoon is not Moose Jaw. Mr Pierce has concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety is a Polytechnical Institute of Saskatchewan however its concerns are unfounded and I will point out the Polytechnical Institute (in Saskatoon) has no schools and no playgrounds within an eight block radius,” King said, going on to tell Council that the area around the Moose Jaw campus and three speed reduction areas close by due to schools and parks.

“It is doubtful that a vehicle would surpass that 40 km/hr sign in that area (with stop signs at each end),” he said about the proposed speed reduction on the 1200 block of 7th Ave NW.

King pointed out to Council that school zones are not designed for adult students but for children. Zones where the school association would also include crossing guards.

“I think that it would be quite insulting if an 18 to 21 year old student at the Polytechnical Institute has to have his hand raised or walked across the street.”

He spoke about his wife being a school teacher and during that time the focus was not about students but children something the students at Sask Polytechnic are not.

"Their main concern was children. Not students. Not brick and mortar. Not faculty members but children.”

Councillor Heather Eby spoke out in support of King’s opposition to the proposed school/playground zone.

“I don’t think it is necessary to designate a school zone where adults are going to school. If that is a requirement in our city then we have a lot of other areas that need to have this as well so I will not be supporting this motion,” Councillor Eby said.

Council then voted against the proposed school zone.

EDITOR’S NOTE - It should be noted according to Moose Jaw Police Service the City of Moose Jaw does not have school zones but rather has playground zones which reduces speeds at schools and playground areas.

It should be additionally noted that a large majority of students as well as members of staff and faculty park on nearby streets in the neighbourhood thereby needing to cross the streets. The problem has been exacerbated once the institution started to charge on campus parking fees and many associated with the campus started parking in the neighbourhood much to the chagrin of residents.