Thank you to those that offered their support and efforts on this issue. It was a long road but because of people that don't give up we finally got some results for our kids sake. Hopefully come September we can all breathe and sleep a little better at night knowing that something has been done to make our community a little safer.

Our school cross-walk is an accident waiting to happen. Municipal traffic studies confirm significant speeding and related reckless driving occurs on 8th Line Road in front of Metcalfe Public School, putting our youngest commuters at serious risk. The morning is the worst with a convergence of "rush hour" bustle occurring within our own sleepy community. Adults are hurrying to their places of work; young drivers are zipping through town to join their friends at the high school; while elementary students innocently try to navigate across the road to the school.

Metcalfe P.S Council is well aware of the numerous close calls we have encountered over time and worry that one day we will not be so lucky. "Education is the right of every child," says Andrie Nel, member of M.P.S Council, "Certainly our kids also have the right to a safe education. As it stands, our non-bussed kids are being put at risk every day they come to school and that simply is not right."

It's not just a Metcalfe problem. It's an issue throughout Ottawa. According to a recent article in Ottawa City called School Zones or Danger Zones, traffic safety just is not receiving the up front attention it needs when new subdivisions are planned. But whether or not we're better or worse off than our neighboring communities is inconsequential if one of our own children is run over by a speeding car.

So what should be done? Alternatives presented to Council and concerned citizens at a meeting last May were to reduce the speed limit, install flashing lights similar to the ones used in Russell, but ideally, traffic engineers confirmed, crossing guards are the best solution. More recent traffic studies are reporting disappointing impact by speed limit reduction and flashing lights. What we really need is an adult crossing guard.

In the past Principal Michel Chartrand personally did crossing guard duty along with Vice-Principal Pat Tchorznickis and staff. But Metcalfe P.S staff was instructed to cease this practice as it presented liability exposure. Apparently only City-trained, sanctioned, and paid crossing guards are authorized to do the job.

In spite of all the hard evidence from City of Ottawa traffic studies within our community, we have yet to see satisfactory action taken. Last May Council asked municipal staff and Counsellor Doug Thompson why we could not have a crossing guard to supervise the mornings and afternoons. The explanations routinely turned to limited municipal budgets.

Each crossing guard costs approximately $12,000 per year.

The current budget only allows for 22 crossing guards and these have been deployed elsewhere in Ottawa and the surrounding area. Through numerous attempts by our Principal to raise awareness of this issue, we have learned that Metcalfe is one of ten areas on a waiting list to receive a crossing guard. Our level of risk is acknowledged and recognized, but the burning question is: how long will the wait be and does it require a serious accident before we move up the list?

"This just is not right," repeats Nel. "There are times in life where the bureaucratic buck passing has to stop and our government and budgets simply need to do the right thing. I think our kids are important enough that this is one of those times."