HawthorneVillager.com

Is anyone else concerned about the chaos going on around HV school? For safety reasons, parents are not allowed in the parking lot. Now the street is not passable during pick up and drop off time.

Matt

Its been a tough choice for the school to make. Part of the blame goes to some of the parents who pick up their kids in their cars.

There are times when the cars are parked side by side in the kiss and ride section and the safety of the children is at risk. There are parking spaces in the lot, rather limited mind you but there and some people are not helping matters.

The kiss and ride works fine in the morning because its a quick drop off. The time kids are released from school, some parents are there for 10-15 mins and the way they are parking is causing a risk to the safety of the students on school property.

In order to help matters out is to have the parking lot closed and parents park their cars on the side of the road. Its unfortunate but the safety of the children on school property is paramount to the school.

If parents picking up their kids would park properly and not be parked side by side along the kiss and ride no parking route, it would be much better off.

_________________
Mike Cluett
Local/Regional Councillor
Wards 1,6,7 & 8

Website | Email mike@mikecluett.ca | Cell (647) 888-9032 | Facebook Page | | Twitter @Mike_Cluett

is there another school in town that has a road infront of it that is not widened and has houses fronting their driveways directly infront of it?? not to my knowledge! It is a horrible design. At least the road is much wider by Guardian angel.

Someone is going to get hit there. They need another crossing guard right infront of the school, how are people who live south of it supposed to cross the road?? Walk North to Clarke, cross, then come back down??

I am sure the school did what was best for the childrens safety, but all they did was move the potential harm off of their property. The kicker is someone at the school said for my wife to call parking control since they cannot since they are not residents or something.

I will see how it is tonight since I only saw it the first night on Monday. if it is still chaos I am going to write the police, the town and the school board.

Matt

You were probably asked to call parking control because they will not respond to the school calling. You have to be a resident of the street to file a complaint.
Closing the parking lot is not uncommon for schools. EW Foster has done it for years, MD is doing it as is Sam Sherratt. Probably more, but I know those ones are.

yep - Sam Sherratt. and there are also 6 busses that have to park on Laurier in front of the school since it was not designed with a bus inlay.
BTW - Sam Sherratt closed thier parking lot to parents at the start of the year, and i just park a block away and walk accross the playground (with my 3 yr old in tow) to drop off my son, and he takes the bus home. the parking lot not being available has never caused me a problem.



Sam Sherratt does have one - and i think you should have one at HV Public too

HV has a crossing guard at Clarke and Bennett. The town is responsible for crossing guards. A parent called and asked if we could get one directly in front of the school and was told that a traffic study had to be done first and that there was no money in the budget for 2008.

really? that's rediculous then. they can just drive by the school at dissmissal time - or at least try too

Thanks for the info. I am pretty fired up about this but I would suggest if there is no crossing guard
1. put no parking signs both sides of the road infront of the school extending 10 meters past the school property line both sides of their property line. At least let the people crossing not have to do it between parked cars (remeber safety village?)
2. Put a school crossing zone right infront of the school with the diaganal lines painted and make it a school crossing zone from 8 am until 4:30 pm.

There are lots of things that can be done on the cheap to improve the safety. I feel that this was just an arbitrary decision by someone on the school board with no consultation with the Police or the town on road safety..... I certainly hope more happened behind the scenes that I am not aware of but there is no action being done.

Matt

The response when I called was they only have one by-law person and they are needed at Milton District and EW Foster for the same problems at the same time.

My children attend E.W. Foster - and they have similar issues. Although the parking lot is 'closed', many people still think that their convenience is more important than everyone else's safety, and enter the parking lot. As there is nowhere to park, and only one entrance/exit, it's an absolute zoo and I've seen numerous close calls where a child is almost hit by a car trying to back out of the lot.

I also drive by Sam Sherratt and see many parents entering the lot there as well.

Another favourite are the parents who stop right at the crosswalk to let their children out (blocking the crossing guard's view), and then almost cause an accident when they pull back out into traffic without looking! Although I think that Buster (the crossing guard) has amazing patience, I sometimes feel that administration/parent council needs to do more to enforce the parking rules to ensure the safety of the children.

_________________
Hunter Obee
Sales Representative
Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty
Diamond Award Winner - Top 3% in Canada
http://www.TheHomeHunter.ca
905-878-8101

Do you know who you spoke to? PM me the name. i will send them a letter and god forbid when someone gets killed or seriously hurt, their negligence will be documented and they cannot claim ignorance.

Thanks for the info, I do appreciate it. i hope you did not take my posts as shooting the messenger.

Matt

I'm at E.W. almost every day, and I've never seen the bylaw officer there!

_________________
Hunter Obee
Sales Representative
Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty
Diamond Award Winner - Top 3% in Canada
http://www.TheHomeHunter.ca
905-878-8101

There was a lot more done that you are not aware of. This is not a new problem. It has been going on since the school opened. Despite letters being sent home asking parents to participate in safe pick up procedures and obey the law, parents have refused to cooperate.

The parking lot holds little more than staff vehicles. It was designed for students who live within walking distance to walk, and those who don't qualify for school bus transportation.

The town was contacted about closing the lot. I have asked Heidi Schlegel about signage on the streets and she was supposed to have someone come and put up the no parking within 6m of the entrances and exits of the driveways and side streets. They will also put up signage on the street stating that there is no parking during certain times of the year and day if we request it. We thought we would try the system out first and hope that people would park in safe areas and walk to pick up their children. Unfortunately many seem glued to their seats and would rather beckon thier children out into the middle of the street to get in the vehicle.

Unfortunately, I don't think that 'no parking' signs will help. As mentioned above, the area in front of E.W. is a 'no stopping' zone, yet people continue to stop/park there on a daily basis.

_________________
Hunter Obee
Sales Representative
Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty
Diamond Award Winner - Top 3% in Canada
http://www.TheHomeHunter.ca
905-878-8101

Matt - I only responded to your posts because you were asking questions in a reasonable manner.
I called Parking control at the Town (X2530) I don't know her name, but I am guessing that there are not many people in that department.

Thanks for the support. We are doing our best to keep the students safe, and that will remain our focus.