While city hall is looking for ways to restrict access to public parks overnight, Prairie South School Division (PSSD) is unsure that it could enforce a similar mandate on its school grounds.
A board trustee with PSSD submitted an inquiry during the June meeting asking division administration whether the organization has a policy that restricts when the public can access school grounds. Administration then provided an answer during the Sept. 3 meeting.
The City of Moose Jaw is considering creating a bylaw that would restrict hours of access to parks in the community, but which parks and what times have not been determined yet, the report said. Since some school grounds have playgrounds and park-like spaces, the division must determine whether it wants to be included in this bylaw or create its own policy and be separate from the municipality.
Administrative Procedure (AP) 491, Access to Schools (Visitors and Volunteers), is the only AP that addresses access to schools, but it does not restrict access to grounds during certain times, the document continued. Moreover, without security, the division does not know how it would enforce an access-restriction policy.
“With City of Moose Jaw property, a restriction could be enforced by bylaw officers or police, but we do not think that would extend to our grounds to be monitored or enforced,” the report added.
Coun. Kim Robinson presented a motion during the May 27 regular city council meeting asking city administration to create a bylaw or policy to restrict access to parks between certain hours. This was due to a small group of people causing trouble for downtown businesses and residents.
He noted that the parks and recreation department should produce a report about which parks should have their hours restricted because city staff know best. He didn’t think the bylaw needed to encompass all green spaces in the community, but it could, based on the advice of department staff.
There was little discussion about the motion, with council giving it unanimous approval.
Police leadership told the board that the agency is continuously receiving calls, so it uses a triage system to queue calls and respond to the most pressing ones first.
Furthermore, the organization usually asks its members to patrol downtown parks whenever there is a lull in calls and when time permits. However, the MJPS wouldn’t be able to dedicate resources on an ongoing basis, while this task would be an extra responsibility.
The police service added that it would include Crescent Park in its patrol area, which would see bicycle-based members cruise through that green space since they can access it quickly and stealthily.
The next PSSD board meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 8.
