A local school has partnered with the region's health unit in an effort to get more students on the move.
Since 2019, Orchard Park Public School has worked with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit to encourage students to be more physically active in their daily lives, including walking and biking to and from school.
As part of the Simcoe Muskoka On The Move initiative, Orchard Park, the health unit, and other members of the ‘travel planning team’ have put together an action plan to foster active travel to and from the school, which was presented to city council Monday.
“The purpose of this initiative is to encourage and support students and their families in our region to be more physically active (and to promote) transportation to and from school more often,” said Orchard Park vice principal Jennifer Viherjoki. “Basically, we would like to create physical environments that support active school travel and include conditions for safety, especially around Calverley Street.”
Creating safe environments for active travel, increasing community connections, improving traffic safety, and supporting student health are some of the factors that informed the project’s school travel planning process.
Student and family surveys, as well as traffic observation and a community walkabout have taken place over the past several years identified connectivity and traffic issues in the neighbourhood, leading to a number of recommendations for city council:
- Installing a crosswalk at Park Street and Calverley Street;
- Constructing a sidewalk along South Street, with a paved path to connect with Park Street;
- Constructing a sidewalk on Fittons Road West;
- Installing a painted bike lane on Park Street;
- Installing school zone signage and better placement of speed limit signage along Calverley Street;
- Year-round maintenance of the paths in Carmichael Park
Surveys found that the number of students walking part way or all the way to school increased between 2020 and 2023, while the number of children being driven also increased over that time.
The number of students riding a bus decreased between 2020 and 2023; 61 per cent of students are eligible for bus service to the school, while 39 per cent live in the ‘walk zone’.
“(Parents) value the development of independence and exercise,” said community member and parent, Rob Currie. “But many (students) are being driven … and this has created an issue especially on Calverley Street with aggressive driving behaviours, putting safety in jeopardy."
Based on all collected data, improving pedestrian safety, encouraging walking, and installing cycling infrastructure were the focuses of the initiative’s action plan.
“Is there a plan, or are you willing to share your excellent work and your methods with some other schools in the area?” asked Coun. David Campbell following the presentation. “In particular, Regent Park comes to mind, where there are some serious challenges with vehicles.”
An official said that would be possible.
“It is an initiative that is being facilitated by the (health unit), so we would love to have other schools request support, and it would just be a matter of calling in through our health connection phone line to ask if they could be considered to be a part of the On The Move initiative,” responded Charlotte Knegt, public health nurse.
Later in the meeting, city council directed staff to prepare a report on the costs and feasibility of the action plan’s six suggestions.
