For years, parent council member Brittany Lauzon has walked her two daughters to and from St. John XXIII Catholic Elementary School in Nepean, witnessing the chaos of pickup and drop-off times. Illegal parking and dangerous driving maneuvers have always been an issue, but this year the situation has escalated to being 'out of control,' she said.
Persistent Traffic Violations
Numerous vehicles park in no-stopping zones and bus-only lanes, obstructing buses and endangering children walking nearby. Parking disputes have even led to confrontations between parents and school staff. Teachers who tried to intervene were frequently subjected to verbal abuse, causing them to largely abandon their efforts. This lack of consequences encouraged more drivers to park illegally, Lauzon explained.
Many drivers have started making U-turns right outside the school on the two-lane Knoxdale Road, blocking traffic in both directions. One such U-turn caused a collision a couple of months ago, according to Lauzon. 'This became the norm,' she said. 'There's no oversight, nobody can control it.'
Parent Concerns
Sara Beaton, who has two children at the school, noted that some drivers speed after passing the traffic lights in front of the school. Melanie Fournier, whose three children walk 20 minutes to school each day, expressed her anxiety: 'My heart's in my throat every day.' She has witnessed parents 'cussing and yelling' over parking issues.
Documentation and Response
Lauzon began documenting violations, taking photos and submitting reports through the City of Ottawa app, a process that took up to 45 minutes per report. She also reported dangerous infractions to police and contacted her city councillor. 'I documented for two weeks straight every day,' she said. 'And I just blew up the city.'
In response, By-law and Regulatory Services officers have increased their presence at the school. Chief Jake Gravelle stated that officers are 'regularly assigned to St. John XXIII School due to ongoing non-compliance.'
