Drop-offs and pick-ups in front of Minnekhada middle are a safety hazard, says a mom of a student at the northside Port Coquitlam school.
And Tammy Hart warns it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.
In April, School District 43 started ripping up Laurier Avenue and Ulster Street as part of a multi-phased project to replace Minnekhada.
Ken Hoff, SD43’s assistant director of communications and community relations, said the work also involves utility upgrades for the municipality, with “tasks being completed by contractor as well as city crews.”
Hoff said he expects the Laurier work to wrap up by the end of next month.
But PoCo’s engineering and public works director Forrest Smith said while it’s a collaborative project and the city is reimbursing SD43 for the utility servicing updates, the municipality is only responsible for the road and utility designs.
He said enquiries about construction — including timing, road conditions and safety conditions — are to be directed to the school district.
Hart said she’s frustrated with the runaround and wants the work finished.
Last Friday afternoon, just before Minnekhada students were released for the weekend, she led The Tri-City News on a walk down Laurier to point out the dangers as pedestrians and cyclists swerved around large holes.
The students’ exit was also caught on video, showing kids crossing Laurier while drivers in personal vehicles and buses navigated through and around the dips.
In May, crews removed the sidewalks and placed cones near the holes; caution tape — strung between trees — also blocked off the school doors.
And although new sidewalks along Laurier went in just days before school started this month, the road conditions continued to get worse, she said.
Hart said while driving, she nearly struck a child dodging the road work and, on one rainy day, she was forced to stop her car, get out and help an elderly disabled man in his motorized scooter who was stuck in a pothole.
To make matters worse, Hart said, the school crosswalk hasn’t been repainted and bright orange signs cautioning commuters have fallen down.
Hart called the construction project “a disgrace… Someone is going to get severely injured or killed.”
Mayor Brad West told The Tri-City News he hasn’t had any direct complaints from constituents but, when organizers of last week’s Terry Fox Hometown Run reached out about the Laurier construction, West ensured them there was fencing around the holes for the 2,000 participants passing by.
West said city staff have relayed their concerns to SD43.
“When construction happens, we want it done in an appropriate way to minimize inconvenience," he said.
