Flashing crosswalk request for Old Slys Road and near Heritage House, curling and squash club

LAURIE WEIR

The light was shone on busy roadway in Smiths Falls, but there is no flashing crosswalk to be seen. 

That was the request from Kathryn Baker-Reed, manager of the Smiths Falls Curling and Squash Club on Monday, Sept. 23 to the Smiths Falls town council. 

“We are really noticing a lot of people crossing the highway for all these amazing amenities in the area,” she said, and “it’s a bit of a chancy spot.”

This is a high traffic area for those accessing the Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum, the ball diamonds, the dog park, and soccer pitches, not to mention Lower Reach Park and the playground, all within walking distance of each other. 

With the curling and squash club hosting more events, and Heritage House Museum hosting more weddings, families with young children (and others) are “having to navigate that busy through-way,” she said. 

Old Slys Road is also a main connecter link to Highway 43, with a lock station that has traffic backed up well past the corner waiting for boats to travel through the Rideau Canal. 

“The other piece to know the curling and squash club is working on becoming a multi-season venue,” she said. Traditionally, in the summer, the club doesn’t have many events taking place, but they have plans to open an eight-week day camp in 2025 – for about 100 kids per week at full capacity. The big feature of the camp will be accessing Lower Reach Park – across the road. 

Baker-Reed said she is hesitant to ask staff to cross the roadway with children as part of their summer camp responsibilities. 

A flashing crosswalk is most efficient, she said, as it would still maintain the flow of traffic. 

“It also gives a really good visual cue to the drivers to notice that someone is at the road and wants to cross,” she said. 

Baker-Reed said she knows council has other crosswalks on the agenda but she asked them to “strongly consider” one for this area for 2025. 

Coun. Jennifer Miller, who chaired the meeting, thanked Baker-Reed for bringing the safety issue to the forefront. 

Coun. Jay Brennan also thanked Baker-Reed for the light shed on this issue, as he sees it every day and the potential danger associated with the increased traffic, especially during ball games, and vehicles are parked on the berm. “It’s sort of a blind corner,” he said, as he suggested asking staff to have a look at the cost of a crosswalk. 

“I think it would be worth looking at,” he said.

Councillors agreed with the general consensus to have staff look at the options available and come back to a future council meeting with a report.