Westmount parents satisfied with safety improvements, pushing for school zone on Westsyde Road

Nov 14, 2018 | 4:16 PM

KAMLOOPS — After years of parents calling on the school district and city to make drastic improvements to safety around Westmount Elementary School, they happened this summer. 

Parents say this school year has been less chaotic than others at the Westsyde school with a light reduction in the amount of traffic congestion. 

“We have a designated pick-up and drop-off lane, so it’s helping with the congestion in the parking lot,” said Westmount parent Dana Elliott. “There’s someone there, making sure the kids are getting safely in and out of their cars.”

School Distict 73 spend $45,000 on the new drop-off lane with increased supervision. However, the biggest improvement this summer came in the form of a traffic light at Walkem Road and Westsyde Road, paid for by the City of Kamloops at a cost of $125,000.

It’s no longer a pedestrian-controlled light. The new traffic-controlled signal means multiple vehicles can now exit the school grounds without having to take any risks turning onto Westsyde. 

It all has Elliott feeling more at ease about her kids’ safety. 

“I feel our safety has improved having the light that functions all the time,” she noted. “We’re not relying on a parent-volunteer standing out there in the morning and after school to keep the traffic flow running. We’re not backed down Westsyde in either direction.”

Maya Gobbee is now at Westsyde Secondary, but only a year removed from being a Westmount student. She says things have improved with the traffic light, but speed on Westsyde Road remains a major issue for students. 

“There’s still lots of things that could be worked on. People, they just don’t stop and there’s still accidents that happen. But I think there should be someone here just to make sure the kids are safe,” said Gobbee.

Other parents at the school want portions of Westsyde Road designated as a school zone to slow drivers down in the area. 

“I think it would help because it would get the maniac drivers to slow down. I don’t know how many times people have sped by me as I’m coming to school or leaving the school. It’s not safe,” said Westmount parent Jenni Searle. 

The school district says it has done what it can to slow drivers down on Westsyde Road. SD 73 has worked with the Kamloops RCMP, whose community safety team has been out this year around the school monitoring speeds. However, the district notes putting up a school zone in the area is ultimately up to the City of Kamloops.