The Town of Kingsville is ensuring that students walking to the new Erie Migration District School will be safe this September.
Councillor Sheri Lowrie put forward a notice of motion on Monday evening asking that a crossing guard be employed for the new school at Jasperson Drive and Woodycrest Avenue.
She also asked that the pedestrian crosswalk on Jasperson in front of the new K-12 school be changed to a fully signalized push-button traffic light, and that a crossing guard be stationed there temporarily until the light is installed.
Council approved the notice of motion and a report will be prepared by administration.
Lowrie says as a mom and councillor she felt this needed to be addressed.
"Is there this opportunity from me at the councillor table if I can put in those crossing guards on behalf of the Town, and be able to employ to make sure that there is a crossing guard near the school."
She says she believes a full traffic light needs to be in front of the school.
"I wanted to change the PXO or the light, the amber light that flashes to get the kids across the road, that to having an actual full stop traffic red light, as I think that would bring awareness to that area better and so kids could cross more safely there."
Lowrie says once the school opens they may need to move or add crossing guards around the school.
"We don't know exactly how many students are going to be walking, we don't know what is the need going to be, and until we can see where those students are coming from, those subdivisions, I don't think we can fully know where to put the crossing guards. So, I see the logical sense of putting it at Woodycrest and Jasperson."
According to administration, the traffic light could cost approximately $100,000. It may take up to six months to be installed and so a temporary crossing guard will be in place for the meantime.
The new school will bring together students from Jack Miner Public School, Kingsville and Harrow Public Schools, along with Kingsville District High School.
EMDS is estimated to see just over 1,000 elementary students and just roughly 750 secondary students.
