Orléans-Cumberland Catholic School Board trustee Stephen Blais is urging the city to reverse its decision not to fund a crossing guard at the Fallingbrook intersection of Gardenway Drive and Thicket Way.

“Parents have serious safety concerns about their children walking to school every morning,” Blais said in a released statement. “The city’s lack of leadership in ensuring the safety of children is troubling.”

Children walking from the eastern edge of Fallingbrook to St. Clare Catholic School don’t have a sidewalk all the way to school, Blais continued. The sidewalk on the south side of Gardenway ends at Thicket Way, forcing children to either cross the street or continue to walk on the road.

There is also no stop sign at the intersection.

“In addition to the crossing guard a stop sign must also be installed,” Blais said, noting the intersection of Gardenway and Thicket is adjacent to the soccer fields located in the Gardenway crater. Residents often park on Gardenway and side streets while taking their children to soccer.

“Essentially the city is saying it wants both children walking to school and residents using the soccer fields to j-walk across one of the busiest streets in Orléans,” Blais continued.

According to Blais, following two hours of analysis, the city deemed there are not enough children crossing at this point to justify a crossing guard.