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Speed reduction coming near Alma school

The speed limit on Simpson Street East, by Alma Public School will be lowered from 50km/h to 40km/h
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MAPLETON — People driving past Alma Public School will need to ease off on the gas peddle.

Mapleton council voted in favour of lowering the speed on Simpson Street East, as it passes the school, from 50km/h to 40km/h.

The vote took place at council earlier this week.

The signs will likely be changed in mid-January, explained Jamie Morgan, director of public works.

“The staff report and new bylaw will go to council on January 10, 2023. When the new bylaw has been passed the signage will be installed ASAP. Installation is generally the next day after being approved. The new 40km/h signs have been ordered,” Morgan said.

For Coun. Amanda Reid, who was the one that initiated the motion, the change is personal. Their children attend Alma Public School where the speed limit is now being lowered.

“In walking to school we realised that that zone was still a 50km/h zone where as most township road, schools were already at 40,” Reid said.

For Reid, their children are in primary grades and so the children and their friends will be walking along and crossing the road by the school for a long time.

“They have a lot of friends at the school. They are only in the primary grades so there is a lot of time for them to have to cross the road,” Reid said.

Reid has faith that by lowering the speed limit, by just 10km/h, drivers will take the change seriously and slow down as they pass the school.

“It should be a 40km/h zone by the school. I do find that people do sometimes go by there quickly. But I do hope that changing the speed will allow people to slow down a little bit in that section of Alma,” Reid said.

On top of the speed limit going down, there is a crossing guard helping students cross the street, which does contribute to the safety of students. However, Reid noted that council will consistently take concerns related to neighbourhood safety seriously.

“We’re very lucky that school supports the crossing guard at that point in the road to cross to the school. Obviously always looking into the safety concerns of neighbourhoods is always important to council,” Reid said.

What Reid wants residents to know is that they should pay attention to their speed as they drive through that part of Alma and also that they should bring concerns they have to council.

“Just that the change is made and to keep an eye on their speed obviously in that area. And that if they ever have any concerns about any other spaces in Alma, they should approach council with any other concerns they have. But I think this change will be a positive one for the community,” Reid said.

Reid explained that the lowering of the speed limit has been a meaningful change for council.

“It was noted that it was one of the only schools that hadn’t changed. So it was a positive change for everyone on council to have it be at the level as all the other schools around township driven roads,” Reid said.

Jesse Gault is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.