OrilliaMatters received the following letter from Lacey MacArthur in response to yesterday's story, 'Perilous ice conditions around school a problem: Parent'.
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Pushing a stroller up and down Regent Street, to the front of Regent Park Public School, this winter has been horrible.
It's not just weather that has been adversely effecting children and families trying to come and go from Regent Park Public School.
Coupled with the implementation of 'No Parking' restrictions street-wide and neighbours putting pylons out at the end of their driveways (on public property) to stop parents trying to conform to the rules but who also need to drop children off is horrible.
On top of that, for the safety of the children, they shut down the school's parking lot, so parents are no longer able to safely pull in and drop off their kids.
In light of all this, for children to be able to safely come to school, it should be imperative to have these sidewalks cleared to the cement.
The tickets for parking infractions, so easily handed out, should also be applied to local residents (including the mayor, who lives on this street) not clearing the sidewalks for these children and their caregivers.
We have to be a community and figure out solutions for everyone's safety - not just local residents that purchased in a school district and the school board/buses.
Several parents have raised this issue with the city and school board. Everyone blames someone else, but nobody is willing to address the problem.
All children should have the right to safely come and go to and from school without causing undue stress to anyone.
Going to school should be a positive experience and not one in which so many parties feel disgruntled.
Lacey MacArthur
Orillia
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