Neighbourhood Safety

We must do everything we can to ensure our safety and our loved one’s safety in our homes and in our neighbourhoods. Each and every day, we should feel safe and be safe when we walk up and down our streets.

Speeding and the failure to obey stop signs were the two main concerns as I spoke with residents. Seeing a car travelling through the neighbourhood at a high rate of speed leaves you feeling afraid for your well being and of those with you. Not knowing if a car will obey a stop sign can leaves me with a sick feeling that something terrible could happen.

Enforcement, engineering and education can help improve safety on our roads.

Enforcement usually involves having police on site to act as a visible deterrent to prevent speeding, and to stop those who drive at excessive speeds. As residents, we can also work together to report streets that are often most at risk, or drivers who display reckless behaviour. I can work with the police as the neighbourhood’s liaison and to ensure regular police presence. Given there are far more streets than officers, this has an important but limited effect to reduce speeding.

Engineering includes items such as adding stop signs and larger speed signs. In some cases, items such as speed humps or chevrons can be used. Our residents deserve most effective and permanent solution that will reduce the frequency and severity of traffic violations in their neighbourhoods.

Education includes speed display boards that shows the speed of the vehicle and the posted limit. Speed display boards are known to be effective at reducing speeds of those vehicles travelling in excess of the limit, while not interfering with those who are obeying the limit. Education also involves increasing the awareness on the local speeding issue by talking to your neighbours. A local group of neighbours can also note cars and plate numbers and send those in through Road Watch. The police do respond to these requests and they can be an effective tool to ensure neighbourhood safety.

Together, with our residents from Ward 3, police and town staff, I am confident that we can make you feel safe in your neighbourhoods again.