To the Editor,
Driving through the wonderful city of Nanaimo I now have time to observe a variety of different standards for school zones. What is the common denominator for setting up school zones – money or children’s lives? Are children going to school in a higher tax bracket area safer than those that are not? What are the standards? The City of Nanaimo website quotes this information: “Where a school abuts a roadway, it is desirable to provide a warning to motorists that they are approaching a school location and caution should be exercised when proceeding through the area.”
Cilaire school has a double-lane divided road, complete with two lighted crosswalks. The zone area is three times longer than other schools. The entrance to the school is not off Departure Bay Road.
Departure Bay school’s is shorter, with no lighted crosswalk.
Rock City school’s school zone going north doesn’t even include the crosswalk; the school zone ends before the lighted crosswalk.
Hammond Bay Elementary School’s entrance and school does not ‘abut’ and is not located on Hammond Bay Road, yet a school zone is in effect.
Rutherford school on Hammond Bay Road has a lighted crosswalk.
Uplands school does not abut Uplands Drive, yet it has a longer school zone than both Rock City and Departure Bay where the schools are on the actual road.
Then there is Quarterway school. Bowen Road is double-lane divided, same as Cilaire, yet no school zone. They tell me the entrance isn’t on Bowen Road – the entrance to Cilaire is not on Departure Bay Road.
Am I comparing apples to oranges? Food for thought.
Terry BergerNanaimo
