The speed limit on streets around Saskatchewan Polytechnic will not change any time soon after city council decided adult students can manage busy roads better than children.
The public works, infrastructure and environment advisory committee submitted a recommendation to the Jan. 11 regular council meeting suggesting that the speed on the streets around the campus be reduced to 40 kilometres per hour. This would have included MacDonald Street to the north, Algoma Avenue to the East, Saskatchewan Street West to the south and Seventh Avenue Northwest to the west.
However, city council thought otherwise and voted unanimously against the motion during the meeting.
The idea to reduce speed around the Saskatchewan Polytechnic campus arose after Lee Pearce, manager of health, safety and security at Sask. Polytech, emailed city hall in September 2019 asking the transportation services advisory committee to reduce the speed in the area.
In particular, Pearce pointed out Saskatoon reduced speed around the campus in that city and installed technology such as traffic lights, a pedestrian walk button and a photo radar
Speaking against the motion
Resident Art King spoke against the motion during the meeting. He noted that Moose Jaw is not Saskatoon and Pearce’s concerns were unfounded.
In particular, Saskatoon does not have any schools or parks within an eight-block radius of the campus. Conversely, King George School is a half-block away from the Moose Jaw campus; Vanier Collegiate is one-and-a-half blocks away; and sports fields and the Kinsmen Sportsplex are also nearby.
King referred council to the many editorials and news articles written about changing the speed limit in school zones. He pointed out that many of those pieces don’t refer to older students but instead focus on children and kids.
“I am not saying Moose Jaw city council does not have concerns or input into school zones,” King said, but he reminded council that elementary and high school zones have different levels of safety, such as crossing guards and bus zones.
“I would think it (would) be quite insulting if an 18- to 21-year-old student at the Polytechnical institute has to have his hand (held) or walked across the street,” he continued.
King added that his wife was an elementary school teacher for 42 years and taught more than 900 students. She later pursued a master’s in education in early childhood education in British Columbia. The main concern that those educators had was about children — not older students, not faculty and not brick-and-mortar buildings.
“I agree with Mr. King,” said Coun. Heather Eby afterward. “I don’t think it’s necessary to designate a school zone where adults are going to school … . There are other areas of the city that need reduced speed as well.”
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Jan. 25.
