Both Okotoks school divisions will have their eyes on traffic along 32 Street when Meadow Ridge School opens nearly directly west from Holy Trinity Academy (HTA) on Sept. 3.
“We worked closely with them (Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools) and we will definitely be monitoring this going forward,” said Monica Kolhammer, Foothills School Division director of planning.
The new kindergarten to Grade 8 Meadow Ridge School has approximately 510 students, while Holy Trinity Academy, across the street, has an enrolment of around 850.
As well, 32 Street is a main thoroughfare in Okotoks.
Michael Kilcommons, CTR Catholic associate superintendent of schools, said HTA does have a large number of students who drive to school.
“Getting out onto 32 Street (from HTA) is a bit of a lengthy ordeal every single day,” Kilcommons said.
“It is worse at the beginning of the year and we are hoping it will get a little bit better, but we may have to adapt some bells and look at some issues after the fact.”
The HTA busing schedule is tied into every CTR Catholic school in Okotoks, so a change in its schedule would impact times throughout the area.
“At this point, the bells aren’t in conflict directly, (with Meadow Ridge) but I don’t know if they are far enough apart to create the space and the time that we would like,” he said.
When CTR Catholic opened its then K-7 St. Francis of Assisi Academy in the fall of 2016, it adjusted its bells accordingly to accommodate the neighbouring Heritage Heights School along Secondary Highway 552.
At present HTA’s morning bell is 8:35 a.m. and the departure bell is 3:19 p.m. On Friday the departure bell is 12:19 p.m.
Meadow Ridge has bell times from 8:40 a.m. and 3:25 p.m. Monday to Friday.
As for busing, HTA has 90 per cent of its buses turning right when exiting the school so as not to turn into southbound traffic on 32 Street.
The Foothills division has six buses coming in to Meadow Ridge School, five from the north turning right off 32nd Street and one coming from the south to turn left to the school site onto Chinook Arch Way, the entrance to the school. The buses would then depart right onto 32nd Street, avoiding traffic coming from the south.
Although Meadow Ridge does have elementary students, there will not be a 30 km/hr school zone along 32 Street. The current speed limit is 50.
Kolhammer said that is due to 32 Street being a main road and Meadow Ridge having a significant offset from the road.
At present there are two yellow school signs north and south of the school on 32 Street.
There are turning lanes from both the north and south on 32 Street entering Meadow Ridge School.
Kolhammer said she hopes student traffic will drop as the Okotoks pathway system is extended in the future from the Crystal Shores area.
Meadow Ridge School is staggering its first few days of school.
On Sept. 3 it will be Grade 5 to Grade 8 and half of the kindergarten. On Sept. 4 it will the other half of kindergarten and Grade 1 to 4. All of the students will attend Sept. 5-6.
The strategy is being done to help assist students adjust to the new school.
On Sept. 5-6 all the students will be there.
