The crosswalk at Christie Lane and Main Street can be a difficult one to use. Morin photo
WINCHESTER – Winchester residents are concerned over the near misses at the crosswalk at Winchester’s Main Street and Christie Lane.
The crosswalk is not lit up or in any way triggered by a pedestrian so cars have to be alert when someone is trying to cross the road.
Normally during the school year there is a crossing guard where the two roads meet. With the closure of schools in the area, there has been no one to supervise pedestrians who want to cross the street leaving the safety of the crossing up to pedestrians and motorists.
Some residents have called for a stop sign to be placed there or some other form of safety measure.
Mayor Tony Fraser said, “Usually during the school season there is a crossing guard there in the morning and in the afternoon. But as a pedestrian crossing on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday evening, outside of school hours it’s unattended.”
The mayor said residents have an expectation that they should be safe all the time.
When residents have an issue they should contact their councillor, mayor or at the very least township staff. The crosswalk is on a county road and North Dundas does not have much to say about it but staff can take a county road issue to a councillor who in turn will take it to the council and from there to the counties. There have been concerns expressed by residents but as yet no formal complaint or call to action by residents.
“No one has contacted me,” said Mayor Fraser.
“If something is directed to the county staff or even submitted to one of the council members, then they can push it to the counties and make it a topic for discussion at county council,” he said.
There are some options for residents to ask for; for instance, they can ask for a crosswalk that has a solar powered signal button. The township would have to fit the bill for that kind of upgrade to the crosswalk.
Having heard about the concerns about the crosswalk the mayor said he can push the idea forward.
The concerns expressed on local Facebook sites often go unanswered.
“In these discussion groups they are really not bringing it to the attention of the people that need to have it brought to their attention,” said Fraser.
An example of how the township can quickly respond to a public safety concern is the establishment of the crosswalk near the township office at St. Lawrence Street and Wintonia Crescent.
“Concerns were brought to my attention and I brought it forward to our staff’s attention. Our staff pushed it to the counties and eventually it’s there,” said Fraser.
“There is a process,” he said.
Joseph Morin is the Editor of the Eastern Ontario AgriNews, and the Record. He is, despite years of practice, determined to eventually play the guitar properly. He has served the Eastern Ontario community as a news editor, and journalist for the past 25 years with the Iroquois Chieftain, Kemptville Advance, West Carleton Review, and Ottawa Carleton Review in Manotick. He has never met a book he did not like.
