Some Erin Ridge residents are concerned building a high school nearby could resurrect a years-old fight over parking on Erin Ridge Drive.
The city announced Monday a francophone high school awarded by the province would be built on Eldorado. Already there have been rumblings about possible problems with traffic and parking.
“Students in high school have cars. I think it’s going to be a real mess,” said Marilyn Adams, who lives on Erin Ridge Drive. “I’m thankful I live a bit further north than that.”
Specifically, some are concerned about a repeat of the confrontation seven years ago between Erin Ridge residents and Sturgeon Community Hospital staff that led to blocked driveways, threatening notes and the formation of a citizens’ committee before the problem was sufficiently addressed.
In 2006 the city started directly addressing resident complaints of hospital staff parking on Erin Ridge Drive and other residential streets behind the hospital to avoid paying for parking. At one point the city even held a town hall, which featured a then-Capital Health Authority manager who told the angry crowd it’s authority stopped at the boundary of the hospital and it couldn’t do anything.
In the end, the city appointed a citizens’ committee to look at the problem. Based on their recommendations, the city allowed parking on one side of Erin Ridge Drive only, and it erected several signs identifying the street as resident parking.
Lance Pepper, who served on the committee, said the changes have made a huge difference.
“Locally in the neighbourhood we still get the odd staff person that doesn’t want to pay for parking and they sneak into the neighbourhood and park,” Pepper said. “One or two gives the impression there’s people there when people are at work most of that time.”
But some wonder if adding school traffic to that mix could resurrect the problem.
Kelly Baker, who lives on Ellesmere Drive, where it intersects with Erin Ridge Drive, said she has no problems with the school but does wonder about traffic.
“Kids are going to be bussed in. Parents doing pick up are going to be waiting. It’s going to be a traffic jam until they adjust,” Baker said. Baker added that she has known for years a school would be built on Eldorado some day.
Coun. Cathy Heron also wondered if the confluence of hospital staff and school traffic might cause some headaches. She and other members of council like Mayor Nolan Crouse want to see a traffic assessment done before the school gets built.
“If for whatever reason one doesn’t get done, there will be a motion to make sure it will get done,” Heron said.
But Pepper said he expects few problems.
“(The school) has to provide on-site parking. That’s the law. So from a school perspective, I don’t see them adding to the traffic on the roads myself,” Pepper said.
