Some residents might have concerns about unnecessary public parking in school zones, but Moose Jaw police say they can only step in if schools ask for support.
City hall’s public works, infrastructure, and environment advisory committee met for its regular monthly meeting in mid-January and discussed parking in school zones. According to the meeting’s minutes, Staff Sgt. Taylor Elder explained that the Moose Jaw Police Service toured school zones and determined that only a few schools have the occasional issue with bus accessibility because parents park in the wrong place.
“However, most schools do not have ongoing issues with people parking in ‘no parking’ zones in front of schools,” the minutes read. “The Moose Jaw Police service will continue to monitor the situation and will step in if there is a need found by any of the city’s schools.”
The minutes from that meeting were presented to city council during its Feb. 14 regular meeting. Coun. Doug Blanc, a former council rep on the committee, spoke further about that issue.
“I had the opportunity to go to Palliser Heights School (last year) when the school was being let out and kids were being picked up. It’s an absolute disgrace there,” he recalled. “There’s cars everywhere … it’s just a mess.
“It’s something maybe the committee needs to go back and have the police address that when the school is let out because it is an issue.”
Elder did say that police investigate situations whenever they receive a complaint, so they don’t drive from school to school looking for problems, said Coun. Jamey Logan, the current council rep on that committee. Police would ticket an unattended vehicle but not issue infractions if the driver is sitting and waiting.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Feb. 14.
