Black Diamond Town council may have finally come to a decision regarding speed limits around its schools after months of discussions.
Council passed first and second readings of proposed changes to the Town’s traffic bylaw March 15. The changes will turn the school zone at C. Ian McLaren and Oilfields High Schools into a playground zone and extend the 30 km/hr speed limit from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting June 30. Council is scheduled to consider third reading on April 5.
Mayor Glen Fagan said it’s important to establish a clear start and end time for the reduced speed limit to make it easier for peace officers to enforce the bylaw.
“We are trying to be consistent so the peace officers know exactly what they are working to, otherwise an hour after dusk is questionable,” he said. “They would prefer to see a specific time.”
At present, a 30 km/h speed limit is in place on school days from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The decision follows two previous attempts by council to alter speed zones in the area in January and February.
“The last time it was brought to council the discussion was to keep it consistent in all of our communities as best as we can,” said Coun. Ruth Griffith. She said the change is important to keep speed limits near schools consistent with its neighbours.
Last year, Turner Valley extended its playground zone times, including around Turner Valley School, to 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Verna Staples, legislative services manager, told council it is better to set an end time for the lower speed limit, instead of posting “one hour after sunset” on signage, as it had previously decided.
“It’s going to be squishy,” she said. “Eliminate the words and put the numbered hours on it.”
Chief administrative officer Sharlene Brown said changes were made to council’s initial recommendation in January after administration did some research and consulted with school staff.
She said there was some confusion over provincial rules. Administration initially told council it couldn’t change school zones to playground zones if the play area is fenced. However, Brown said administration later learned this stipulation was removed when the Traffic Safety Act was amended in 2013.
“Council wanted to make the change to transition the zones to playground because they have the ability to do that and didn’t know that before,” she said.
Officials at Black Diamond schools like the change.
“Our school facility is a busy and active place both inside and outside, during school times, before and after school as well as during the evenings, weekends and summer holidays,” wrote Sherry Agasoster-Jones, C. Ian McLaren School principal, in a letter to the Town. “It is commonly used from 7:30 in the morning until 7:30 at night and sometimes even later, for sports’ teams and community user groups. Our playground is utilized from dawn until dark.”
Oilfields High School principal Caroline Roberts also wrote a letter that supported the move.
“I agree that this would provide a clearly-signed and consistent approach to all playgrounds in the Town of Black Diamond and would make the area surrounding our school safer 365 days a year,” she wrote.
Coun. Jackie Stickel said in February that a playground zone is appropriate because there are basketball hoops, playground structures and a large field in the schoolyard, as well as organized sports in the evenings.
Coun. Jim Deacon agreed, saying many youth hang around the playground following outdoor sporting activities.
“A lot of times if kids play ball they are still there after the game is over and playing until dark or until someone comes and gets them,” he said.
Coun. Mike Ross said the end time for the playground zones should be one hour after sunset due to how late it gets dark in the summer.
“We have daylight until 11 p.m. in the summertime and there’s kids after dark,” he said.
If the bylaw is passed, 11 playground signs with the new times will be installed around the schools and seven signs in the existing playground zones will be replaced prior to June 30. The cost is estimated at $5,000.
