The Town of Minto plans to implement parking restrictions on Prospect Street here in an effort to enhance traffic safety around Palmerston Public School.
At the Feb. 17 meeting, a staff report noted concerns had been expressed about vehicle parking and congestion on both sides of Prospect Street, between York and Toronto during school days before class and after school during pick up.
The report identified several concerns, including:
– congestion creates only one lane of through traffic;
– school buses cannot access loading areas;
– emergency vehicles cannot pass through the street; and
– children crossing the street between cars.
“These issues are caused when parents/guardians drop off school children using the closest and most convenient parking drop off or pick up children from the school,” the report states.
Meetings between town and school staff resulted in recommendations aimed at improving the situation, including:
– amending the parking by-law to prohibit parking on the south side of Prospect Street between York and Toronto Street, excluding the buses in the current bus loading zone; and
– amending the by-law to prohibit parking on the north side of Prospect Street, from the corner of York Street, 90m to the east and from Toronto Street, 100m to the west.
The plan includes working out an agreement between the Upper Grand District School Board and the Palmerston Missionary Church, which is located next to the school, to allow temporary parking from the school on the church’s parking lot. The town would then construct 125m of sidewalk from the current crosswalk at the school, along the south side of Prospect Street to the church parking lot.
“So do we think this is going to solve the problem?” asked councillor Dave Turton.
“As long is it’s policed,” said councillor Jean Anderson, who suggested the town will need agreements with the OPP.
“This has to be a coordinated effort in September of the next year … letters to parents, teachers should talk about it,” said Mayor George Bridge.
Bridge added, “The OPP may have to be there for a bit to get some warnings out – you don’t want to be overly high-handed about it. I think it will solve some of the problems.
“It’s scary down there,” said Bridge. “I mean there’s a lot of kids walking around I’m surprised nobody’s been, touch wood, hurt.
“People have to realize its for the safety of the children and that’s what’s uppermost in our minds,” said councillor Judy Dirksen.
Some councillors favored the idea of creating “short-term” parking areas where people could stop briefly to drop off their children.
“I think short term parking is vague. I would really like to see it say drop off area only,” said councillor Mary Lou Colwell.
Council noted it should be made clear that people dropping off young children who needed to be walked into the school should park in the church lot.
CAO Bill White suggested time-limited zones could be included when a bylaw formalizing the changes is passed.
Council approved a plan to work toward implementing the recommendations in the report.
