Drop-off at this Nepean elementary school is 'out of control'

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Since the beginning of April, Gravelle said officers have issued 11 tickets for school zone violations near the school.

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“The City of Ottawa takes the safety of children in school zones very seriously and is committed to responding to community concerns while supporting a safer environment for everyone,” Gravelle said.

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“Motorists are encouraged to review and comply with all posted and applicable parking regulations and to exercise caution when driving or parking in a school zone.”

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One recent morning, a police officer sat outside the elementary school with his vehicle’s siren sounding and its lights flashing, Lauzon said.

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She said the officer educated instead of ticketed, and there was noticeable improvement in parking that day.

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“I had tears in my eyes, I was so happy,” she said.

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Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine said concerns about traffic around school zones are not uncommon, but that the situation at St. John XXIII was “trending in a worse direction.”

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In his April 28 newsletter, Devine wrote that, in one escalated incident at St. John XXIII, “an illegally parked parent … after being ticketed, threatened another parent by saying she had ‘friends with guns’ who would kill her.”

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The Ottawa Police Service said in a statement to the Citizen that on April 24 at 12:31 p.m., police responded to a “report of a person uttering threats… following an earlier incident that day.

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“The victim declined to proceed with an investigation, and the matter is now considered closed,” police said.

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Sharlene Hunter, senior manager of communications at the Ottawa Catholic School Board, said in a statement that the school board is aware of concerns about escalated confrontations between adults, but it’s focused on “maintaining a safe and respectful environment for students.”

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She said St. John XXIII’s administration has been “working closely” with police and bylaw services. “Increased enforcement, including the recent issuance of 11 tickets, is part of that effort,” she said.

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The solution is a mix of enforcement and education, she said.

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“We remain committed to working with all of our community partners to find practical, long term solutions that support a safer environment for students, families, and neighbours.”

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But, according to Beaton, next to nothing is being done. She said she wants to see increased enforcement from bylaw and police, as well as signs prohibiting U-turns.

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“Some stuff is slowly getting done, but not fast enough,” she said. “Someone is going to get hurt.”

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On March 23, Barrhaven crossing guard Peter Clark died after he was hit by a truck while on the job. A 19-year-old man has since been charged with dangerous operation causing death and has pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident causing death.

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Devine said speeding is not as big of a concern around St. John XXIII as it is around other schools, but that the traffic issues around the school are being caused by a government that is “routinely prioritizing vehicle traffic flow” over pedestrian safety.

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“Parents will flagrantly park where they know it’s dangerous to do so, and if somebody dares to challenge them, there’s going to be a threat of violence,” he said.

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“That’s the culture we have right now.”

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Devine said that he visited the school twice recently with a city traffic analyst, and they discussed different ways the roads could be engineered to limit the traffic violations around the school.

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These may include increased signage, curb extensions or flex posts dividing opposing traffic.

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He said he’s “pretty confident” that, in a few weeks time, city staff will have some physical measures to put in place to fix the traffic issues around St. John XXIII.

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