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Students are making their way back to school on Tuesday, and while all drivers are reminded to drive safely in school zones, extra care should be taken around Weyburn Comprehensive School.
Due to ongoing construction on King Street, the increase in traffic during school pick-up and drop-off times has warranted safety reminders from the Weyburn Police Service (WPS). Deputy Chief Shane St. John says safety in this area is their highest priority.
“It's going to be a very busy area, I just don't want to see anybody get hurt. I don't want to see anyone try to cross that zone when you can't. I don't want to see students try to walk through there.”
Clear instructions on how to navigate the school zone have been made available by the WPS, the school division, and the City of Weyburn. St. John urges drivers to obey these guidelines, be patient, and stay out of restricted areas.
“Just cooperate with everything we're asking, so everything goes smoothly. No one will get hurt. The last thing I want to see is an accident or a young student get hit by a vehicle.”
St. John says they haven’t seen anyone attempt to enter the work zone or cut across closed intersections, however, it’s behaviour they’re prepared to deal with.
“I could see someone trying to do it, just from experience. People ignore signs. They ignore construction. We've seen it. We get complaints about it.”
“It's really, really frustrating that they can't have the patience to just do the right thing and obey the law. I really hope people do. It's for everyone's safety, but there will be zero tolerance.”
Parent pick-up and drop-off will be on the south side of the school on Second Avenue northwest. This will be a green zone, and no parking will be permitted in the area. The southeast parking lot off Second Avenue northwest is reserved for Early Learning Centre, College, and WCS staff only. The west Eagles gym parking lot will remain open for student and staff parking.
Students will be released through the South One or South Two doors. Between 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. parents can access the school through the Cugnet Centre main entrance. Drivers are reminded to drive slowly in this area, as it is not a roadway, it is a parking lot.
"I want everyone to really pay attention, look at the rules that we have laid out, and then follow them. That's all we're asking. It's a short-term thing until King Street gets back open and going again. So, for the first few weeks of school, we just need everyone to do what we're asking.”
