BARRHEAD/WESTLOCK – Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken will meet with Pembina Hills trustees on Friday, March 3 to discuss the issue of school bus fly-bys, though the board also intends to bring up the much-needed modernization of Barrhead Composite High School (BCHS).
The upcoming conversation with the MLA was briefly discussed by the trustees at their Feb. 22 meeting, where it was noted that van Dijken had requested the meeting.
Supt. Michael Borgfjord said Pembina Hills has seen a “tremendous increase” in fly-bys lately, where another vehicle zooms past a school bus that has stopped to either let a child on or off. Legally, motorists are required to halt behind a stopped bus until its red lights have stopped flashing.
“it’s almost getting out of control,” he said, noting there are certain areas in and around Barrhead, Westlock and Neerlandia where fly-bys are particularly high.
Some residents have also complained publicly about the problem; back in December, local parent Hielke Vandermeulen reached out to the Barrhead Leader to call on the division to install stop arms and cameras on all buses.
In preparation for the meeting, Borgfjord said administration is researching what penalties other provinces impose for fly-bys, believing that if a few people receive massive fines and more demerits on their licence, the problem may ease up.
The division is also investigating the logistics of installing cameras and arms on buses, though both have had mixed success; in one recent instance, a vehicle flew by a school bus with its stop arm extended by going on the shoulder.
He suggested that the board also consider the possibility of putting forward a resolution for the Alberta School Boards Association to adopt, which trustees agreed was a good idea.
BCHS modernization
While meeting with van Dijken, Borgfjord indicated they will also try to convince him to write a letter of support for the full modernization and right-sizing of BCHS.
That project, which is roughly estimated to cost in the neighbourhood of $29 million, is currently the top and only priority in the division’s capital plan.
Borgfjord had told trustees during their Jan. 19 meeting that the division would lobby to have this project approved in 2023.
Trustees have also reached out to the Town of Barrhead and County of Barrhead to get them on board with the project.
Though board chair Judy Lefebvre said she had not heard anything further on that front, Borgfjord indicated he had gotten a response from town mayor Dave McKenzie and was following up on that.
