A walking trail from Jack Crescent to the back entrance of Goodfellow Public School was identified as a “short-term priority” in the Town of Innisfil’s Trails Master Plan.
The goal, explained Amber Leal, Capital Projects Manager, was to provide an alternative that could “assist with parking and traffic movement concerns through the school entrances from both 25th Sideroad and 9th Line.”
Leal noted, “By-law and customer service have both indicated that traffic is very heavy in this area, especially during (school) drop off and pick-up times. We expect this trail to alleviate much of the traffic that the 25th Sideroad and 9th Line experience.”
Innisfil Coun. Ken Fowler, a past member of the Parent Council at the school in Alcona, explained further: Sometime before COVID-19 closed public schools, Goodfellow P.S. had closed its parking lot in an effort to prevent “parking wars” between irate parents.
The result, said Fowler, was parking chaos. Parents began parking along Line 9, and walking their children across the busy road to get to the school.
Other children were having to cross even-busier 25 Sideroad – in some cases twice, to reach the sidewalks and a pedestrian-activated crossing.
The proposed trail would provide students who live south of Goodfellow with a way to avoid busy streets and crossings.
There is support for the idea, Fowler said. “This is a welcome addition,” he said, and parents who want to transport their students in “a safer or reliable manner are supporting this.”
“I think it’s a much safer route,” said Coun. Alex Waters in a council meeting earlier this year, but he suggested that there is a need for a “solid agreement” with the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) before it proceeds, to ensure that the trail is plowed and accessible on school property.
More than one councillor raised the issue: If the town builds a trail to the edge of the school, what guarantee is there that the school board will keep the gate open for students, or maintain the path on school property?
Leal has indicated that the town is still in talks with the SCDSB planning department, and “working on finalizing some design details with respect to access to the school yard,” to ensure the trail can be maintained year-round.
The town has also applied for a $30,000 Trails Connecting Communities Grant from the County of Simcoe.
“We have not yet received formal grant approval,” Leal said, but that is expected to come forward in the May 26 meeting of County Council.
During discussions in Innisfil Council earlier this year, Mayor Lynn Dollin warned councillors, once the trail is constructed, to “prepare to get a lot of angry calls from Jack Crescent,” when Goodfellow parents drive their children to the street to access the trail head.
Construction of Jack Crescent Trail, which will include a pedestrian bridge and raised boardwalk through the wetland area adjacent to the Skivareen Estates stormwater management pond, was set to begin this fall.
“With the impact of the pandemic, it could get delayed until summer of 2021,” said Leal.
