Saanich parents demand action after crosswalk removal near Colquitz Middle School raises safety fears

A Saanich neighbourhood is calling for a crosswalk to be restored near Colquitz Middle School after a student was hit by a vehicle this week, saying the removal of a temporary crossing has left children navigating a busy corridor without a clearly marked place to cross.

Residents gathered Friday morning along Burnside Road West, where a pedestrian crossing installed during earlier roadwork by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit was recently removed following the completion of construction.

The crossing had been in place for about two years and was used regularly by students walking to and from school, according to residents.

Elise Cote, a local parent, said families were not given sufficient warning before the crossing was taken out.

“My kid used this crosswalk every day,” she said. “And then suddenly it was just gone. There was no chance for schools or parents to prepare kids for a different route.”

She said the situation became more concerning after a student was struck in the area earlier this week. The child sustained minor injuries, according to residents familiar with the incident.

“There was not a sign or barrier there until after a child was hit,” Cote said. “That’s what’s really hard for us to understand.”

Cote said students are now being left to choose between longer routes that include busier intersections, and the issue highlights a broader concern about how school travel routes are managed when infrastructure changes occur.

“We want our kids walking to school,” she said. “But right now, it feels like the infrastructure isn’t keeping up with that reality.”

“We need more, not less,” she said. “Not fewer crossings. Safer ones.”

Residents say they are now collecting signatures and plan to bring a letter to Saanich council next week, calling for the immediate reinstatement of a permanent, clearly marked pedestrian crossing at the location.

They are also urging for clearer communication protocols when pedestrian infrastructure near schools is changed, saying families need advance notice to adjust routes and educate children on safe alternatives.

For families along Burnside Road West, the request remains straightforward: restore a permanent, clearly marked crossing so children can travel to school safely and predictably.