Council to look at sidewalks on Wellesley street in response to public concerns about safety

THE SAFETY OF HER children comes first for mother and Wellesley resident Melissa Tusch-Kelterborn.

She spoke to township council on Tuesday night expressing her concerns about a lack of sidewalks on Parkview Drive in the south end of the village, and to appeal to councillors to do something about the situation. Township staff will be looking into the issue.

She conducted an informal survey of her neighbours, and found that around 65 per cent of those she contacted agreed that sidewalks, and limiting parking on both sides of the street, would be in the residents’ best interest.

“We have lived on Parkview for three years, and we have found that it is getting much busier as that area behind is developing. Cars are speeding by, and it is not just one or two. It is several,” she said.

Those who didn’t want sidewalks installed on Parkview Drive didn’t want to lose the ends of their driveways, didn’t want people walking so close to their homes or didn’t have safety concerns specifically around children.

“The concerns against are quite minimal compared to the life of a child,” she said.

Tusch-Kelterborn says her thoughts are with her children. Kids are kids, and they can only be taught so much.

“I have had to teach my own kids how to navigate and dodge cars while they are learning to ride their bikes or walk to school and I just feel as much as we can remind them and teach them, kids will be kids. I feel concern for all kids in the community. I really worry about what is going to have to happen before a sidewalk is put in place. We do need to do something about it.”

Coun. Herb Neher wanted to know if there was a solution that could be implemented without infrastructure changes.

“What would happen if we limited parking to one side of the street? Would that alleviate some of the problem?” he asked.

Tusch-Kelterborn feels the addition of sidewalks is the only answer.

“That would be better, but that is only a start,” she said.

Council asked staff to look into the situation, and come back with a report in the new year.