A resident is requesting an additional sidewalk near Victoria Cross Public School in Mount Forest.
Kimberly Cummings wrote a letter to Wellington North council that outlines concerns for student safety on Durham Street West. The letter was presented at the Dec. 19 council meeting.
“One day I was walking my child to school when a car backed up and almost hit us,” she wrote in the letter.
“Sadly, my child isn’t going to be the last we see or hear about until there is a sidewalk they can safely walk on.”
Currently, there is a sidewalk on the south side of Durham Street West until Normandy Street North, where it ends and continues on the north side of Durham Street West in front of the school. Cummings proposed that a sidewalk be installed on the north side.
Public works director Matt Aston said he suggested to Cummings to send the letter for council’s awareness.
He said the sidewalk was not replaced when Durham Street was last reconstruction, although he is not sure why.
CAO Mike Givens said there are crossing guards at the school and on Main Street that channel children to the south side of Durham Street West.
“The craziness is the driving and dropping off people,” Givens said.
Mayor Andy Lennox replied, “I’m not sure how we respond to that. I don’t know that we can meet all the requirements of people dropping their kids off.”
Aston suggested staff contact the school.
“Having kids walking through the parking lot isn’t necessarily ideal either,” he said.
Council agreed to direct staff to consult the school and/or school board for possible solutions.
