Making back to school safer in Parksville

Has anyone had a chance to ride on Despard or Pym to see the improvements mentioned in this press release from Debbie Tardiff with the City of Parksville? Care to comment on either route?

Making back to school safer in Parksville

It's the first full week of classes in School District 69 and we would like to remind residents to slow down, drive carefully in school zones and be aware of our students on the roads. Over the summer, several City projects were completed which will help to promote safe routes to school for all our students.

On Despard Avenue, the City recently undertook an interim safety improvement project for pedestrians and cyclists. The project entailed infilling a 25 metre long, deep ditch as well as widening the narrow shoulder on the north side of the road between Craig Street and the Alberni Highway to about 2 metres wide. The new widened shoulder provides a safer pedestrian facility for users, including students of Parksville Elementary and Springwood Middle schools who use this route daily. City staff provided the design as well as undertaking the ditch infill portion for both training and piloting a new plastic storm drainage pipe.

The shoulder was widened using chip-seal, which is typically a rural road surface treatment intended to expand the life of the road. Chip-seal was chosen because it is an economical solution for what is understood to be an interim need. Development of the neighbouring property is anticipated to occur sometime in the near future, at which time the developer will build the ultimate sidewalk design. The chip-seal will harden and smoothen over time and with use.

On Pym Street the City contracted Niko Projects to install a missing section of sidewalk between Forsyth Avenue and Brice Avenue on the east side of Pym Street. About 200 metres of 1.8 metre sidewalk was installed complete with current standard letdowns at the corners and pedestrian-friendly control joints in the sidewalk. Pedestrian-friendly control joints minimize the annoying bumps to strollers, scooters and wheelchairs. The new sidewalk also improves pedestrian safety for users including the students of Ballenas Secondary and Winchelsea Elementary schools by providing a continuous pedestrian facility on the east side of Pym Street between Highway 19A and Hirst Avenue.

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For more information:
               Engineering and Operations Department  250 248-5212