Speed zone changes around schools, playgrounds back in front of Saskatoon council Monday

Saskatoon city council will finalize its policy around speed zones for schools and playgrounds at Monday's council meeting.

Last fall council voted for playground and school speed limit zones to run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST year-round.

It also voted to remove reduced speed limits around high schools.

"The decision in front of council I think is to actually kind of put the direction that was previously provided into policy, to finalize it and to kind of receive the on-the-ground update about what that will look like as we head into the fall and implement the changes," said Ward 2 Coun. Hilary Gough.

The decision to change the hours and have them go year-round was contentious.

"There's no perfect combination here, but I do think we've ended up at a good place," said Gough.

Gough said her main concern right now is two schools that don't fall under the criteria for reduced speed, École Henry Kelsey (near 33rd Street) and St. Mary's Community School (just off 20th Street).

Monday's proposal would delay removing those school zones until after a safety audit is completed.

"What we're hearing from residents and from the school community in those areas and for Ward 2, that's around St Mary's School, is that the school zones are really valued and that they feel that there are safety considerations that need to be really carefully thought through at those spots," Gough said.

Ward 3 Coun. David Kirton said he sees bylaw as a trade-off.

"We faced that one file last year where we were looking at 40 km/h on every street, and I knew that wasn't going to work," Kirton said. "And so I look at this as a trade-off at the playgrounds.

 "That's not going to make much of a difference in our lives. Most of the playgrounds, through design over the course of many decades, basically front on to back alleys and the like."

Both school boards in the city asked council to keep reduced speed limits in front of high schools.

Kirton said he thinks high school-aged students are old enough to respect oncoming traffic.

"I don't want to sound blunt here, but if it's the school board's concern that the kids are going to, you know, just run across the street willy-nilly, I think they've got a little of a task in front of them to teach those kids the dangers of that."

Gough said many high schools are on arterial roads where the reduced speeds have a greater impact on commutes.

The new zones and hours are projected to be in place by the start of the new school year in September.

Knox United bylaw amendment

Council will also go to a third and final reading of a bylaw amendment regarding the Knox United Church heritage designation.   

A developer wants to subdivide the land surrounding the church to build a 19-storey condo building.

Some people in the area have voiced opposition to the plan, as has the Saskatoon Heritage Society.

Last June council approved the second reading of the bylaw amendment, which would allow the condo building, but the third reading was not able to be held until the legal land description had been obtained and included in the bylaw.   

Several citizens signed a letter to council saying Spadina Crescent East is "long recognized and appreciated as Saskatoon's Heritage Boulevard," and asked that any development be put on hold and a study done to find out how citizens feel about the area.