Fwd: Help With Selkirk Parking Lot Plan

[Joanna Joniec]

I think this is an issue that the WUCC can provide valuable input on.  There are opportunities for the City and the Department of Education to collaborate and make access to SES friendlier for active transportation.  I am putting together my thoughts for a submission.

Regards,

Joanna

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Whitehead, Shiela <sysa...@myeducation.gov.bc.ca>
Date: Fri, Feb 19, 2021 at 8:47 AM
Subject: Help With Selkirk Parking Lot Plan
To: <sheila.w...@gov.yk.ca>

Good morning parents/guardians,

 

Please see attached letter from our School Council

 

Thank you.

Shiela Whitehead

[Jamella Hagen]

Hi Joanna, 

I’m a Selkirk parent and cyclist—I agree & support. 

Jamella 

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[jean-paul molgat]

One key point. Make HPW follow the City’s bylaw for government building bike storage and parking. Current by-law exempts schools from ANY bike parking requirements. HPW could easily decide to treat it like another government building, despite what the by-law says. More bikes going to schools than to any government buildings. 

Sent from a phone. 

On Feb 20, 2021, at 1:48 PM, Jamella Hagen <jamell...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Julie DesBrisay]

Me too! (I wouldn't hope for YG-City collaboration, based on past experience, but it never hurts to remind them that it's a good idea.) 

Julie

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[Sarah Overington]

 I’m really grateful to you for bringing this to everyone’s attention. I would never of known that this was a proposal otherwise. Thank you.

Sarah

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 22, 2021, at 9:14 AM, Julie DesBrisay <jdesb...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Joanna Joniec]

Please find below a letter that would like to submit tomorrow to the YESAB call for comments.  I am looking forward to your feedback. /J

Selkirk Elementary School is one of five schools located along Lewes Blvd.  Riverdale residents are frustrated with the continuous traffic congestion in the area. Traffic congestion simultaneously contributes to Yukon's carbon footprint and decreases the quality of life for Whitehorse residents.

The proposal focuses on the parking lot's temporary impacts, such as clearing vegetation and erecting temporary fencing.  However, the proposed parking lot will also increase traffic along Selkirk St, which has no sidewalk and insufficient lighting. Children use Selkirk St. to walk and bike to school.

This proposal could be improved by:

-          Additional lighting and sidewalks on Selkirk St.;

-          Bicycle parking at schools that meets the same standards as other government buildings in the City of Whitehorse.

The WUCC calls on Yukon Government to meet the current climate emergency by embracing active transportation.   

On Tue, Feb 23, 2021 at 9:51 PM Joanna Joniec <joanna...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thank you, Forest. I will make some changes and shoot off a more polished draft tomorrow.

On Tue., Feb. 23, 2021, 9:36 p.m. Forest Pearson, <fkpear...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hi Joanna,

if we were to submit such a letter from WUCC, I think it would need to be silent on the issue of child drop-off because that isn't really in in the "mandate" of WUCC (in fact, some could argue that driving kids to school is contrary to the goals of WUCC, but I don't want to wade into that!)  Thus, if we want a letter to review by WUCC interested members, I would suggest modifying to focus only on the safe route on Selkirk Street plus perhaps the sustainable transportation argument you present at the end.

Thanks for picking up the pen on this!

-Forest Pearson

"Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious." - Stephen Hawking

On Monday, February 22, 2021, 1:03:43 p.m. MST, Joanna Joniec <joanna...@gmail.com> wrote:

I have drafted a letter that calls for a robust community consultation, reminds the government of its commitment to a one government approach and that we are in a climate emergency - please find a very rough draft below.  I have scanned the responses on YESAB and most speak to frustration with the piecemeal approach the department is taking to dealing with the school drop off issue for all three schools along Lewes boulevard and not to mention Vanier and Christ the King.

Best Regards,

Joanna

Selkirk Elementary School is not only a school in Riverdale but also a community hub.  The proposed plan for a parking lot in the back of the school is a short-term solution to a long-term issue.  Both Selkirk parents and Riverdale residents are frustrated with the continuous traffic congestion in the area because of the large number of schools.  Traffic congestion simultaneasly contributes to Yukon’s carbon footprint and decreases the quality of life for area residents. .  The Government has not met its obligations to consult with area residents and parents at Selkirk. 

The proposal focuses on temporary impacts of the project such as clearing vegetation and erecting temporary fencing instead of the long term impacts such as increased traffic congestion and the resulting environmental impact.  In addition, the proposal does not meet the needs of students and parents at Selkirk as follows:

-          Not enough drop off locations at the back of the school;

-          Continues to force parents to drop off at the front and travel into Riverdale before exiting out;

-          Increased traffic on Selkirk St, which has no sidewalk and insufficient lighting, and is used by children to walk and bike to school; and

-          Reduces play space at the back of the school and will eliminate it entirely in the case that another portable is put in.

The WUCC sees an opportunity for the Department of Education to collaborate with other government departments and the City of Whitehorse to make the proposal friendlier to active transportation – the .first step of which would be a robust community consultation. Some possibilities include:

-          School bussing or a walking school bus for students that live in Riverdale (lots of parents that live in Riverdale drive to school);

-          Ensuring schools meet the City of Whitehorse standards

-          Lighting, sidewalks and bike lanes along Selkirk street; and

-          Using existing infrastructure behind the school complex to meet the needs of the school.

We are confident that other possibilities will surface during a community consultation process.

We hope to see leadership from the whole of Government as we are in a climate emergency which requires cooperation from the whole of society to mitigate.

On Mon, Feb 22, 2021 at 12:49 PM Forest Pearson <fkpear...@yahoo.com> wrote:

I'm afraid I am not totally familiar with the issue, but personally, I am not supportive of measures that seek to promote driving children to school and dropping them off (for many many reasons, but that is a longer discussion about healthy child and community development). 

With respect to traveling by bike, I personally  don't see benefit to enhanced parking and drop off.  That being said, I hear there is substantive usage of Selkirk Street for children's self-propelled travel to school.  Selkirk Street wasn't identified in the City's Bicycle Network Plan, but if there is good community interest, then I would think we should advocate for a safe space to use that route.  Perhaps a separate path that leads directly to the bike racks?  

FYI - Selkirk street will be torn up either this year or next to install a new storm sewer, so perhaps there is good opportunity to get a separated path built as part of that disruption?

Those are just my own views, and as I said, I don't know the issue well.  I also don't speak for other WUCC members, so I'm curious what specifically we should ask WUCC members for on this matter?

-Forest Pearson

"Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious." - Stephen Hawking

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Whitehorse-Urban-Cycling-Coalition/CAO%2BmYnwfyVsMFtPjY4UUeB_O51u-j34vzqWrP3mA%2BLNNXR8wcQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Jamella Hagen]

Hi Joanna,

Thank you for taking the lead and writing a letter! 

I agree with everything in this letter. There are a lot of comments on the YESAB page--most of which are very detailed, and many of which go further than this in terms of what they call for, though some of that may be city jurisdiction rather than things the school has input into. The comment submitted by Ben Campbell, who is a city planner, seems to me particularly detailed, though there are lots of other comments that make good points, too. 

One idea--perhaps to go further than suggesting "sidewalks," this letter could suggest that Selkirk Street receive an all ages and abilities cycling/walking path to connect to the millennium trail? Again, I know this letter is not to the city and this may not be the right place to suggest it, but I've heard the city say several times that they are committed to creating a bicycle network in Whitehorse with this description. Sometimes they even add to the network in a way that fits the description! 

I do think it would be great for WUCC to have a letter submitted to the process, to add to the letters from school council and Kwanlin Dun. I've heard anecdotally that the city is planning to tear up Selkirk Street to re-do some water drainage in May-June, and that construction of the parking lot is slated for July/August of this summer. I'm really no expert in how to have influence into infrastructure projects like this, so Forrest or Julie, if you have ideas for ways to add input that are likely to be successful, please share. 

Also, this letter needs to get submitted asap, right? Was yesterday the deadline? Do they still accept things afterward? 

Have a great day, all! 

Jamella 

[Lee Carruthers]

I totally agree there should be a bike trail connecting the school to the Millennium trail. DUH!!

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[Forest Pearson]

Hi Joanna,

sorry, got behind in my email.  I don't know if you submitted it yet, but your revised input looks good to me.  I've cc:ed a few other active WUCC members just to make sure folks are good with this coming from WUCC.

If we don't hear anything back from others by tomorrow, then I'd say go ahead and submit it if you haven't done so already.

Cheers,

-Forest Pearson

"Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious." - Stephen Hawking

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Whitehorse-Urban-Cycling-Coalition/CAGtMcGvnY8dHSUz5s5mt_0D18P%2BS96jV%2BtNqYZgjceWJrMNUQQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Joanna Joniec]

Thanks, Forest.  The comment period closed on Friday.  I submitted something very similar under my name.