'They don't stop': Crossing guards on West Shore Parkway being repositioned due to safety concerns
Crossing guards at the roundabout on West Shore Parkway say they’ve seen and it all.
“We’ve had one of our crossing guards get bumped by a car,” said Kailey Sutherland, Crossing Guard with the Sooke School District. “We’ve had lots of close calls with kids, we’ve been sworn at.”
Hundreds of drivers pass through the roundabout daily on their morning commute, some not obeying the authority of the crossing guards.
“People go right through us, they don’t stop,” said Sutherland.
If this story sounds familiar, it is.
Last month the Sooke School District put out a public plea to drivers to slow down, pay attention to the guards and to be respectful. Unfortunately, that never happened.
The school district is now redrawing the map and repositioning its crossing guards before someone gets seriously hurt.
“We figure we’re not going to be able to change the behaviour of the drivers, so let's change the behaviour of our students,” said Scott Stinson, Superintendent of the Sooke School District.
Parents of students at the two schools were notified on Wednesday of the changes that will take effect this coming Monday.
The goal is to discourage students from crossing at a location that drivers have made unsafe.
Currently, the district utilizes three crossing guards, two at the roundabout and one at Constellation Avenue. All three will be repositioned.
One will move to the opposite side of the roundabout, crossing at a low trafficked service road. Two guards will be moved closer to the schools on West Shore Parkway where there is a pedestrian activists’ crosswalk.
One new guard has been added as well at Meridian Avenue in front of the two schools where currently there isn’t one.
“We’re putting our resources to where we believe the safest routes to and from will be,” said Stinson.
“There’s a lot of people, it’s high traffic,” said Sutherland.
As the district deals with drivers unwilling to change, it hopes their flexibility will result in a safer commute, for the students and the crossing guards.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Conservatives, NDP should be 'celebrating' EV deals: industry minister
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says federal opposition parties should be 'celebrating' the recently announced electric vehicle deals, despite their criticisms the Liberals refuse to make public the terms and conditions laid out in the contracts.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
His SUV was stolen on Montreal's South Shore. Then he got a $156 parking ticket
A couple is frustrated after their SUV was stolen from Montreal's South Shore in March and they received a parking ticket for the same vehicle last week.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Evacuation orders lifted in Fort McMurray Saturday as rain dampens wildfire activity
Residents of Fort of McMurray who were displaced over wildfire concerns were told to return home Saturday.
Jesus is their saviour, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians.