It's now up to council, says east end trustee

A motion put forth to the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) by Stephen Blais, Catholic school board trustee for Orléans-Cumberland, passed at a recent board meeting.

The motion, which targets speeders in school zones, was approved at the April 14th board meeting. Blais requested that the City of Ottawa implement community safety zones, under the Highway Traffic Act, in front of all elementary schools in Ottawa.

"I expected it to go through," said Blais. "It's just common sense."

Under section 214.1 of the Highway Traffic Act, municipal councils have the power to designate a highway, under its jurisdiction, as a community safety zone if, in council's opinion, public safety is of concern.

With this designation, it would result in double the fines for traffic violations. Blais is asking the city to make a community safety zone within a one kilometre radius in all elementary schools in Ottawa. The east end trustee's motion also asks the city to undertake more aggressive enforcement when it comes to speeding near school properties.

Blais introduced the motion after meeting with teachers and parents at Convent Glen Catholic School, where speeding has been a growing concern on Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard and Fortune Drive. And now that the weather is warmer, said Blais, more and more children are walking or biking to school.

Now that the OCSB has approved his motion, the next step will be with Ottawa city council.

"Now, it's the city's job to see if they want to run with this," said Blais.

Orléans City Councillor Bob Monette said he is very supportive of Blais' motion, and his next step will be to bring the issue up at a future protective services committee meeting.

The east end councillor has met with Blais and representatives from Convent Glen Catholic in the past to discuss what steps can be taken to reduce speeding in front of the school.

"Speeding has been a problem there (Convent Glen), and we need to do something regarding it," said Monette.

But Monette said while the issue is too crucial because it deals with the safety of children, there are many logistics to be looked at before moving ahead.

One of those is costs, he said, and pursuing community safety zones will have to have the support from both the federal and provincial governments.

"It's doable," he said. "Costs shouldn't be an issue. We are dealing with the safety of children here."

Next, said Monette, will be what he called a four step approach, which includes ensuring that fines are doubled for those who do speed near elementary schools, educating the public on the dangers of speeding near school properties, installing the proper signage detailing how much a motorist will be fined if he or she goes over a certain limit near school zones, and finally, enforcement.

"We can't have a police officer sit in front of a school everyday," said Monette. "We need to make things very clear to people."

Monette said he was 100 per cent in favour of doubling fines for speeders in school zones, and will continue to meet with Convent Glen residents to lay out the next step in the process.

"We are going to do everything possible to see this through," said Monette. "One accident is one too much."