GUELPH/ERAMOSA – To address ongoing traffic concerns near two schools in Rockwood, council here has amended a bylaw that will determine designated drop -off and pick-up locations in an attempt to ease congestion.
Additional signage will also be implemented to dictate when and where vehicles on surrounding streets can stop.
During a May 2 meeting, council heard from bylaw enforcement officer Ivan Lunevski regarding amendments to a bylaw that regulates the parking or stopping of vehicles on highways, public parking lots and, in some instances, private property within the township.
The report came after staff received numerous complaints about illegal and unsafe parking at Harris Mill and Rockwood Centennial Public Schools.
“I have been working with the schools, the principals of the schools and the school board to ensure that the parking signage that’s amended at the school would be … easily enforceable and eliminate any of the safety issues that we’ve observed at the school throughout the past couple of years,” Lunevski explained.
Staff assessed the parking situation at both schools with the assistance of the public works department and Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB).
During the assessment a need for several changes to the parking bylaw were identified, including the erection of additional “No Stopping” signage at Harris Mills Public School on the surrounding streets, as well as additional “No Stopping” signage at Rockwood Centennial Public School in several areas.
Lunevski noted most of the signage is to be enforced between the hours of 8 and 9am and 2:30 and 3:30pm from Sept. 1 to June 30 to reflect the drop-off and pick-up times where the schools are experiencing the issues.
“For both schools there’s designated drop-off and pick-up locations and that’s to alleviate any of the issues that we observed during the pick-up and drop-off times at mainly the intersections and near the schools,” Lunevski explained.
“We’ve suggested parking where parents can safely pick up and drop off.”
Staff have further revised schedules around no parking and no stopping to eliminate duplication and contradiction between prohibitions and correct the school bus loading zone location for Rockwood Centennial Public School from Pasmore Street to Mary Street, the report to council noted.
“We’ve had impacts here from COVID, kids aren’t on the busses, there’s folks in town who may not be used to using school busses, so we’ve had some pressures at both schools,” Mayor Chris White said.
Referring to Harris Mill, he added “it’s still a bit of a work in progress … and we’re hoping that come next fall, assuming that COVID’s impact on the busses and that is reduced … we may have less issues.”
Council approved the bylaw as amended and staff will work with the UGDSB to communicate the permitted parking and drop-off areas and to implement the proposed signage as soon as possible.
Maps will also be distributed to the schools with the expectations moving forward, Lunevski said.
“At certain times of the day pick-up and drop-off is pretty congested and at times a little crazy so … every little bit helps. So if that makes the traffic flow a little more smoothly then that’s mission accomplished,” councillor Mark Bouwmeester said.
The costs of the proposed signage will be covered through the public works department’s existing budget.
