Information related to school zones, school buses and playground zones.
Ecole Oceanside Elementary located at Wright road and Hwy 19A, was formerly a middle school that converted to an elementary school in 2014 when there were school closures in Parksville. We have children as young as 4 and 5 years old walking to school with their families and crossing at the intersections at Wright and Hwy 19A, as well as Wright and Wembley rd (a 4 way stop).
Prospect Lake Elementary School is located in the 200 block of Prospect Lake Rd. A few years ago another nearby elementary school was shut down and all the students were sent here. The school population doubled.
The Parent Advisory Council for Hans Helgesen Elementary School near Victoria wanted to solve pedestrian safety issues on Rocky Point Road. The Council was working with the District of Metchosin and wanted to have a marked crosswalk installed at that road's intersection with Windover Terrace. The District was reluctant to do this.
Seven years ago I wrote about a safe trip to school, commenting on my experience that a significant part of the safety problem was caused by teachers and parents themselves. Their driving behaviour as they showed up to work or dropped off their children sometimes left a lot to be desired. Did they not realize that they were creating their own problem?
Yes, it's time to consider going back to school again this year. Will it be safe for our children to go to and from school each day?
Somewhere in British Columbia an unsafe situation will be identified and someone will try to do something about it. Understanding what traffic engineers will consider may significantly increase the chances of successfully implementing a change.
While walking my 11 year old son to Van Horne Elementary this morning- yes I have to walk him because of the poor driving in my neighbourhood there was a dangerous situation at the corner of 43rd and Ontario St. My son and I were headed west on 43rd and had the right of way. We looked to ensure no cars were coming in any direction and step into the intersection.
The School Safety Patrol Program is a public service provided free of charge to elementary schools by the BCAA. Part of the CAA's School Safety Patrol Program it is recognized as an outstanding initiative for reducing injuries and deaths among 5-12 year olds.
The way I was taught to drive in school zones was that there is no passing, even with four lanes, even with people stopping to let someone out, or a cyclist who is doing 20 km/h rather than the posted 30 km/h maximum. However, I have been passed in all three of these instances recently, by people who felt they were well entitled to their actions. This needs some clarification.
In Parksville, around the Oceanside Middle School, the school zone sign remains up during the summer. It states the speed to be 30 km/h and underneath a sign says "school days." Other areas do not have the notation of "school days" but do leave up their 30 km/h sign during the summer in the Oceanside area.
There is a school near where I live, with a 30km/hr school zone. Driving one way passed the school, you encounter the School Zone sign, but after you pass the school, there is no corresponding sign showing the speed increase to 50 km/hr - despite the fact that the speed for oncoming drivers is 50km/hr and they have a Scool Zone sign on that side of the road.