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2005 News and Information

Mayor and Rick Hansen Join Traffic Safety Walk to “Keep Our Future Safe”

01 March 2005

Rick Hansen will participate in the Richmond District Parents Association’s 8th annual Traffic Safety Awareness Week, held March 7 to 11, 2005, to raise awareness about traffic safety particularly around schools.

The annual campaign will raise community awareness about creating safer traffic environments at schools and in neighbourhoods through driver and pedestrian education, and through the promotion of safe transportation options that reduce vehicle congestion. The “Keep Our Future Safe” campaign includes initiatives and activities to highlight the importance of child safety:

  • The Way to Go! “Walking Yellow Wednesday” inter-school challenge will be kicked off by Mayor Malcolm Brodie on Wednesday, March 9th at 8:30 a.m. at the site of last year’s co-winner, McKay Elementary School, 7360 Lombard Road. Rick Hansen and the Mayor will participate in separate walks with elementary school children commencing at 8:30 a.m. Other special guests include Capt. Click, and the RCMP Safety Bear, and the school with the highest student participation will receive the Mayor’s Golden Shoe trophy.
  • Placement of yellow tape and bright yellow lawn signs featuring the message “Please Slow Down - School Zone” in neighbourhoods surrounding participating schools to serve as visual reminders and warnings to drivers of the presence of pedestrians and schoolchildren.
  • Increased traffic enforcement and speed monitoring around school zones and at crosswalks.
  • Distribution of educational materials about traffic and pedestrian safety and vehicle-trip reduction programs to every secondary and elementary school in Richmond.

You can help keep our community “road safe” by: reviewing skills for pedestrians; reviewing the best walking routes to school with your children; encouraging your children to participate in the “Walking Yellow Wednesday” challenge; and obeying traffic safety regulations around schools. More information is available online.

Traffic Safety Awareness Week is presented by the Richmond District Parents Association and sponsored by ICBC Loss Prevention, the Autoplan Broker Road Safety Program, Richmond School Board and the City of Richmond, with the participation of Richmond RCMP, CARS BC, the Way to Go! School Program, BEST and Richmond Health Services.