Ècole Qayqayt Elementary wants what other schools in the city have – before disaster strikes.
Allison Taylor McBryde is deeply concerned about the safety of children travelling to Qayqayt Elementary school. In addition to being the Downtown New Westminster Residents’ Association’s representative to the city’s neighbourhood traffic advisory committee, she’s also the grandmother of a five-year-old student at the school.
“We would really like to see Qayqayt get the same attention that other elementary schools in New Westminster have in terms of signage and traffic controls,” she said. “St. Mary’s Park is a valuable community asset. We feel playground signage is required there to slow the traffic to ensure the safety of children.”
Taylor McBryde said a number of construction projects are currently taking place in the neighbourhood around the school.
“There are about 500 students in the school,” she said. “Right now we call it traffic calming by construction and obstruction.”
As soon as the doors opened to New Westminster’s newest school in September 2014, community members raised concerns about traffic issues around the Qayqayt. While there have been some improvements since that time, such as creation of a four-way stop, Taylor McBryde said “there’s a lot that’s missing,” including advance school zone warning signs, large school zone signs, raised crosswalks and speed zone flashing lights.
Taylor McBryde said the site is also home to St. Mary’s Park, the only children’s playground in the downtown neighbourhood, and it “desperately” needs playground speed zone signs so motorists know they’re passing a park.
“Ultimately, the safe route to school is not safe,” she said. “We don’t have a safe route for the children.”
Council members are concerned about the situation around Ècole Qayqayt Elementary school and referred the matter to staff, with instructions to report back to council within a month, to expedite plans related to school safety and to monitor the situation.
People don’t always do what they are supposed to do, said Coun. Jaimie McEvoy, who witnessed several parents doing U-turns around the school and turning corners without stopping when dropping their kids off at school.
“This is an unsafe situation,” he said “We are talking about five-year-olds who run out into the street to chase their balls. I think it’s pretty serious.”
