General Information

Be part of the Queen Mary "Let's Walk" team!!

10 Reasons to Walk to School

• It’s good exercise
• It’s better for the environment
• It provides transition time between home and school
• You learn your way around the neighbourhood
• It’s quality time spent with your kids
• It builds community
• It is safer than driving
• It makes the school area cleaner, quieter, safer, and less congested
• It develops a lifelong walking habit
• It helps teach traffic safety/awareness

Answers to Excuses for Driving

1. I don’t have time - Make time. Get up earlier. Plan for an extra 10 minutes of exercise with your child. The benefits will be worth it.
2. What if it rains? - Get a raincoat and boots. Children are not made of sugar. They do not melt in the rain.
3. I have smaller children - Young children love to walk and need fresh air and exercise too. If you have a younger child asleep in a car seat you may have to drive and make a quick stop in the emergency drop-off zone.
4. I have to drive anyway - But you don’t have to drive inside the school safe zone.  Stop a couple of blocks away and enjoy a walk with your child, or if your child is old enough, drop your child off outside the safe zone so they get the benefits of a walk and you can be on your way faster.
5. My child lives out of area - Drive to a point outside the safe zone.  Use that as a regular drop off/ pick up point.
6. I am worried about stranger danger - Statistically, this is unlikely but it is a good idea to teach children to be aware of their surroundings and what to do if approached.  The sooner a child learns these basic skills the safer they will be in the long run.  You can also walk with your child if you feel they are not safe.
7. I am worried about her/him being hit by a car - In all likelihood that car will be one driven by another parent! If no one drives there is no   danger.  Teach and reinforce safe street crossing habits. (ie. look left, look right, look left again; wait until all traffic has stopped completely before you cross the street; always cross at an intersection; always look the drivers in the eye, don’t cross intersections diagonally.) These are great skills and habits to develop early on and may help save your child from a serious accident when they are older.
8. I am afraid my child will get sick - Being cold or wet does not make you sick.  Being in an enclosed area (a car) with viruses around does.
9. My child has an after-school activity to get to - If time is tight, a pick up in front of the school may be the only option; however, the average 5th grader can run a block in less then 20 seconds so at least for older kids the time savings are minimal.
10. 10. We are late for school! - If your child is already late, a few more minutes won’t matter.  Try again tomorrow.
11. 11. What is the Safe Zone?

Anywhere you park outside of the Safe Walking Zone (grey area on map) leaves only a one or two block walk to the school.  Park on 8th and enjoy a walk through Trimble Park – it’s a lovely way to start your day!

If you drive inside the Safe Walking Zone, you MUST obey all traffic signs and laws.

• Stop means STOP!! Come to a COMPLETE stop
• No parking - 8 PM to 5 PM - School Days: These zones are set aside for motorists to drop-off and pick-up students. Vehicles may stop for up to 5 minutes only
• No stopping - 8 AM to 5 PM - School Days: These zones are usually adjacent to a school’s main entrance and are designed for pedestrian safety. They are particularly busy around dismissal time, and should remain clear at all times.
• Too close to a crosswalk - vehicles are not allowed to stop on or within 6 metres of either side of a crosswalk.
• Too close to a stop sign - vehicles are not allowed to stop within 6 metres of the approach side of a stop sign.
• Blocked fire hydrant - vehicles are not allowed to stop within 5 metres of a fire hydrant.
• Seatbelts are mandatory

A VIOLATION OF A TRAFFIC REGULATION IS A TICKETABLE OFFENSE

Parent participation is urgently needed!

The QM Let's Walk programme is a group of parent volunteers who help keep your children safe by providing traffic control within school environs.

We are currently in need of parent volunteers for this very important job. Could you spare a short 20 minutes once a week?

Volunteers are needed for both 8:45am and 2:40pm shifts, Monday to Friday.

Please choose which day/time would be best for you and call Beth Seaton at 604 221 3936 or leave her a message at the school office.

Many thanks from the children of Queen Mary