Special Report: Walkable Streets

Safe Crossing Needed on King at Bernie Morellie Recreation Centre

Unfortunately, our city has been prioritized for motor vehicle travel and we lack many of the needed safety measures to create a safe and sustainable community.

By Edward Harris
Published March 06, 2020

Since the completion of Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre, the area of Leinster and King has become a hub for many families accessing the cities recreation resources. It's wonderful to see so many families engaged and taking part in community oriented programs such as swimming, gymnastics, camps and so on.

Unfortunately, our city has been prioritized for motor vehicle travel and we lack many of the needed safety measures to create a safe and sustainable community.

No pedestrian infrastructure
No pedestrian infrastructure

Every time I visit Bernie Morelli recreation centre, including today, as a driver, a pedestrian and a patron, I witness countless families with small children dodging high speed vehicles as they cross king street. It's only a matter of time until an unfortunate collision wipes out an entire family from our community.

Multi-lane, one-way arterial is dangerous to cross
Multi-lane, one-way arterial is dangerous to cross

This is unacceptable. The installation of a simple crosswalk or traffic control signal could reshape the neighbourhood and assist families to access their vehicles and recreation centre safely.

The city may have lacked the foresight for the installation of these much needed safety measures for this community, but it does not lack the resources to change this issues before a tragedy occurs.

I urge you to contact your Councillor immediately and request the provision of a 40 km/hr zone on King Street between Gage and Sherman. To look at bump outs at neighbourhood streets that line this corridor and to request additional traffic control measures specifically located at Leinster and King, to ensure that families visiting our community and those who live here can access the great community resources we have put in place safely.

I sent a message to my councillor and received this response:

Thank you for your email Edward.

I frequent the centre it's my family for our child's swimming lessons as well and know well your concern.

In 2019, I had a motion passed for King St E to receive a speed reduction in 2020 for 40km/h as part of the neighbourhood School Zones being implemented city wide.

I have also requested staff to consider any other potential zero hero design interventions. However that will have to wait until the provincial task force on transportation investment of $1B has convened and made a final decision.

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