City Council heard on Monday night that mitigating measures can be taken to alleviate traffic near the new joint-use school on South Hill. 

Council received the results from a traffic impact assessment as part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the city, Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, Prairie South School Division, and the Ministry of Education. 

The report said the neighbourhood would see traffic disruptions during peak hours between 7 and 9 a.m. and 2 and 4 p.m. 

Mitigating strategies that the report recommended included: 

  • Encouraging traffic to circulate in a counter-clockwise direction along Wellington Drive, with the use of a median, to minimize left turns entering and exiting the school site. 
  • Separate pick-up and drop-off areas for busses and private vehicles. 
  • Separate lanes for pedestrians, bikes, private vehicles, or busses to minimize conflict. 
  • Signage and markings to alert drivers of school crossings. 
  • Encourage walking or biking as well as carpooling. 
  • The school could consider staggered operating hours to minimize traffic volumes during peak hours. 

Former Prairie South School Division trustee Jan Radwanski, who as a trustee voted against the project, spoke to council with his concerns about the traffic impact assessment. 

He said the report pointed out that the official community plan was overlooked and the site was never properly screened. 

Prairie South School Division chair Robert Bachmann said Radwanski had a chance to offer his opinion as a citizen as well as a trustee, but the school board decided to push forward with the project. Bachmann said he hoped that council viewed the report as positive and could move forward with the new school. 

Joann Blazieko, chair of the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, told council that the trustee for their school division passed the project unanimously. 

Councillors Heather Eby, Jamey Logan, and Doug Blanc expressed the need for a new school on South Hill. 

Blanc said Empire School is to the point where it isn’t functional anymore. 

“I know there are offices up there where the staff is working and it's 35-36 degrees Celsius because they can't open the windows. There's no air conditioning possible. I mean it's unsafe working conditions for the employees and certainly for some of the students.” 

Other councillors continued to raise concerns about the location and the fact that the city was never consulted. 

“I do believe that the people that live on Wellington Drive there are going to be some major changes there and the fact that this is going to go to the concept plan first, there's going to be public input I will vote in favor of this motion,” said Coun. Dawn Luhning.  

“However, I just don't know. Something about it is telling me that it's just not the right location.” 

Council voted 6-1 to accept the traffic impact assessment with Coun. Kim Robinson opposed and to move forward with concept plans and public consultations.