NEWS RELEASE
WELLINGTON-DUFFERIN-AGUELPH ACTIVE AND SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
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In early 2018, the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Active and Safe Routes to School (ASRTS) Committee was successful in securing a grant from Green Communities Canada and the Government of Ontario to launch the Walking School Bus (WSB) Pilot Project in the City of Guelph. A WSB is a new and innovative way for students to get to and from school as a group. Children will be walking to school with an adult supervisor who is screened, trained and managed by the Service de transport de Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services (STWDSTS).
After conducting an extensive feasibility study, the ASRTS Committee would like to congratulate the following schools that were selected to participate in a Walking School Bus Pilot – Holy Trinity Catholic School from the Wellington Catholic District School Board, and Ken Danby Public School and Mitchell Woods Public School from the Upper Grand District School Board.
The WSB pilot process will begin immediately and continue until June 2020. Phase 1 of the pilot will run at Mitchell Woods Public School from April 2019 to June 2019. In phase 2, the WSB will be expanded to include Holy Trinity CS and Ken Danby PS and will continue service at Mitchell Woods PS. The second phase will run from September 2019 to June 2020 and will include an evaluation with feedback from participating students, parents and schools. The WSB pilot will help inform the development of sustainable models of active school travel.
By walking to school, students will become more informed about road safety in their neighbourhoods while gaining confidence and increasing their levels of daily physical activity. Developing these healthy habits at an early age has been shown to have long-term health benefits. There are also benefits to the community including reduced traffic congestion around schools, improved air quality due to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and enhanced neighbourhood safety.
There is no cost to the schools or students to participate in the WSB. Students will need to register on the STWDSTS website in order to participate.
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