The Seine River School Board denied a request from the rural municipality of Ste. Anne to cover 50 percent of the cost of a crosswalk near Richer School, which serves 154 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Richer keeps growingthe need for safe pathways for students has become increasingly urgent.

“(The area) did not meet the Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure qualifications for a crosswalk,” says Board Chair Wendy Bloomfield. “But the board decided not to support that request for funding support, believing that it is not our obligation to put in infrastructure. While we support it in principle, we don’t think it’s part of our responsibility to pay for it.”

This decision follows discussions about broader safety concerns related to student transportation. At a recent meeting, Bloomfield pointed out how many students who live within a mile of their schools are forced to walk on congested highways without adequate sidewalks. She noted, “In many of the new developments, children are forced to walk on the highways and there are no sidewalks.”

While the board’s decision on the crosswalk may be disappointing to some, it underscores the need for comprehensive planning that prioritizes student safety in all new development. “We’re not opposed to development, but we need to start looking more closely at the safety of children walking to school,” she said, advocating that sidewalks and safe routes be included in development plans.

Bloomfield notes that the council will offer the RM of Ste. Anne with an explanation as to why the funding request for the crosswalk was rejected, but that they still support the idea of ​​getting a crosswalk.