A grant worth $500,000 promises to improve pedestrian safety around three schools in Central Saanich.
Central Saanich Mayor Ryan Windsor said the grant will improve the safety of children and their families walking near Keating Elementary, Bayside Middle School and Brentwood Elementary.
“Walking and cycling to school should be a safe experience for children and their families,” he said in a release. “We are grateful to the Province of British Columbia for recognizing the importance of these upgrades for the school communities, and our wider community.”
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The grant will help fund improvements totalling $890,000 to the crossing area on Central Saanich Road to Keating Elementary and the intersection at Wallace Drive and Marchant Road, which is a route travelled to both Bayside Middle School and Brentwood Elementary.
The proposed work includes the construction of new crosswalks with flashing lights plus several hundred metres of sidewalk extensions.
“Installing infrastructure is quite expensive and financing our Active Transportation Plan is going to require a multi-faceted approach,” said Windsor. “Contributions such as this really make all the difference for a community like ours with a modest tax base.”
Central Saanich’s contribution to the project is $390,000.
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