By Greg Fry

Westmount Elementary parent ‘worried that a tragedy will happen’ before SD73 takes action on traffic concerns

Apr 4, 2018 | 2:10 PM

KAMLOOPS — What’s taking so long?

That sums up the feelings of at least one parent at Westmount Elementary School who says School District 73 isn’t moving quickly enough to address traffic concerns at the school.

Leanna Werely originally voiced her concerns in January after a student was nearly hit by a car near the school.

Following that incident, the district announced it would take action by commissioning an independent traffic report.

“We had understood from the school board they would release those results by the March 12 school board meeting which they did not, much to our disappointment,” says Werely, who’s upset the issue won’t be taken up until another public Board of Education meeting scheduled for April 23.

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“The school district’s own mission of providing and caring for student safety is clearly not true. Superintendent Alison Sidow said herself in three separate interviews that they were all very concerned, but based on this delay I don’t feel that’s true at all.”

She says there have been two more close calls since January, including one Wednesday morning. It’s left her feeling she’s at the end of her rope with the district and she fears with spring break over nothing may be done until next fall.

“I’m really worried that a tragedy will happen before they take action.”

Werely says she’s planning on holding a rally to draw more attention of decision-makers in the district.

She adds she has a couple of solutions to deal with the issue.

“They either need to open Westsyde Elementary eight kilometres down the road and find buses to get students there or they need to bus the 170 students that are coming from [Batchelor Heights] right now, down to Westmount Elementary, to prevent this congestion.”

CFJC Today spoke to Sidow Wednesday and she offered up the following response:

“I can tell you that the traffic report has been completed. We have been in converstation with the City of Kamloops. Those conversations have been very positive and we look forward to reporting a resolution soon. However, that will not likely happen this Monday. It will not likely happen until the April 23 meeting in Kamloops.”