Area residents made their own signs to discourage drop-off and pick-up of Frank J. Ney Elementary School students alongside two streets near the school. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

safety concerns

Parking concerns boil over at Frank J. Ney Elementary School

Sep 8, 2021 | 4:54 PM

NANAIMO — Parking challenges forced a contentious start to the school year for those around Frank J. Ney Elementary School.

A small group of residents are discouraging parents from using popular drop-off and pick-up points on residential roads Entwhistle Dr. and the end of Carriage Dr., both of which have pedestrian pathways linking to the school of roughly 400 students.

They created their own homemade signage and laid cones on the ground to encourage students be dropped off at the school on Williamson Rd.

Organizer Marty Cross told NanaimoNewsNOW they’re taking a stand against increased traffic on their quiet streets, constant U-turns and parents’ cars blocking driveways.

“Parents are concerned about getting their kids to school safely, we don’t want to interfere with that,” Cross said. “But at the same time there has to be an acknowledgment that in doing so everybody else has to be afforded those same safety precautions.”

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The protest sparked verbal confrontations between area residents and school parents on Tuesday, Sept. 7. The situation escalated on Wednesday, Sept. 8 when no less than four RCMP officers and two municipal bylaws workers were deployed to the area.

Four Nanaimo RCMP officers watched on as local residents posted signs, but did not impede traffic in the morning hours of Wednesday, Sept. 8. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

A City bylaw enforcement officer confirmed residents’ actions aren’t illegal so long as public access isn’t impeded.

Shannon Daniel dropped her child off at the site of the Entwhistle Dr. protest site on Wednesday.

“It’s a public street and there’s laneway access that goes right to the school. It relieves the congestion on the front of the school as well. It was working for us.

Daniel said she didn’t realize local residents were upset about students being dropped off and picked up on residential streets surrounding the school.

She said hopefully there will now be meaningful dialogue to create long-term solutions.

“These roads were probably not built to have this many cars on them, but that’s going to be for (the school district) to figure out because that was their decision to create a giant school here.”

Nearby residents to Frank J. Ney elementary school set up on the road during the first day of school’s return on Tuesday, Sept. 7. They spoke with parents who were dropping off students via a back laneway to the congested school. (submitted photo)

Frank J. Ney Elementary is into its fourth year as a vastly expanded school.

A consultant predicted the school’s population would rise steadily to more than 600 students in roughly one decade.

Dale Burgos, executive director of communications with Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools, said the district is aware of the safety concerns involving pick-up and drop-up at sites surrounding Frank J. Ney Elementary School.

“The district itself is always looking at the school and surrounding sites and potentially how we can mitigate these concerns and challenges.”

Burgos said more substantial on-site improvements for drop-off and pick-up are possible at Frank. J. Ney Elementary.

He pointed to an already existing program where children can safely be dropped off and walk to the school as another way to alleviate the short-term parking issues at the school.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes