Tracy Roen
Dear editor:
I am writing with huge concerns for the safety of our children. Coming home from work last Wednesday, I witnessed a small girl, about seven years of age, on the five-foot snowbank walking home on Keating Avenue.
She struggled as her friend followed her and quick as a whip, she fell down the side of the bank into the path of an approaching school bus.
Snow has narrowed the street by as much as eight feet, making it impossible for students to walk safely on this street!
I originally e-mailed the town about the snow problem on Keating Avenue on Sunday, Jan. 3. After witnessing the incident with the little girl, I phoned the town office on Jan. 6 and spoke with the superintendent of roads.
I have been told by the superintendent of roads that snow removal occurs according to a priority list generated by town council, but Keating Avenue is the only thoroughfare to two different schools within two different school boards. Other sidewalks are cleared dutifully by the sidewalk machine and driver, but sidewalks do not exist on Keating Avenue.
Our kids in the west end of town must walk on top of neighbourhood snowbanks in the winter. Some of these snow banks can reach more than eight feet in height.
I was told by this superintendent that a sidewalk does not exist on Keating Avenue because of the Rainy River District School Board’s lack of financial support. This superintendent told me that the town used to remove the snow at Walker School until the board decided to privatize snow removal and stockpile the snow on school property.
I was left to wonder why this information was important to the reason that snow removal on a major thoroughfare was not carried out while students struggled to get to school safely.
I continued to reiterate the problem of safety for our children and finally after 20 minutes, I was told that he would handle it, removing the snow the next day while the children were in school.
But on Thursday, the snow had not been removed, although a portion of the east side of Keating has been improved between the school and King’s Highway.
On Friday, the snow had not been removed. On Saturday, the snow still had not been removed.
(Signed),
Tracy Roen,
Fort Frances, Ont.
Concerned parent
P.S. As of Monday, Jan. 10, while I was composing this letter, portions of the snowbanks on Keating Avenue still impede student travel to school.
