By Ryan Tumilty
Twenty-two crossing guards, responsible for the safety of children at locations across the city, will be eliminated under a proposal in the draft city budget.
The proposal calls for the total elimination of the adult crossing guard program a move that would leave children to cross on their own at busy intersections.
Sue Evans, the crossing guard at First Avenue Public School on the corner of O’Connor street and First avenue, says she thinks the proposed cuts will make the intersection unsafe.
“ There have been many times that I have been out here and I have nearly been hit myself,” says Evans.
The intersection at First and O’Connor is a four way stop. Both streets have a posted speed limit of 40km/h. Evans estimates that many cars are doing between 50 and 60 km/h.
Gayle Singer, the principal of First Avenue Public School, would rather see the crossing guard stay but said in the end her concern is keeping kids safe at school and the intersection is not on school grounds.
“In actual fact, it’s the parents responsibility to get the children to school safely,” says Singer. “It’s off school property, we provide supervision on school grounds.”
The other 21 intersections are at schools across the city. Five of the intersections are at traffic lights, another nine are at four way stops.
The remaining eight have no signals or stop signs.
Parents at First Avenue Public School are very concerned for the safety of their children.
“You have got junior and senior kindergarten kids, that don’t understand, that are still trying to learn what it is to look both ways and how to cross. Part of that is having a crossing guard teach them,” says parent Paul Brown.
Other parents thought the proposal was aimed at a target that was easy for the city to cut.
“I think the budgets cuts are absolutely despicable at the moment and I think they are just picking on soft targets so that we will accept higher taxes,” says parent Jennifer La Roche.
Evans was uncertain about the future of her job but thought parents in the area would be very vocal if it was cut.
“It’s a small group of people and I think if they (the city) can do away with the smaller things they will, but I find that they are taking everything away from the children,” says Evans.
The city proposal estimates cutting the program would create $250,000.