At the City Council meeting this week, my motion related to Playground Zones was passed!

I am so thankful to the thousands of Edmontonians and Ward 9 residents who took the time to fill out my survey and share their thoughts by phone and email with my office.

After discussion at the meeting, some amendments were made by my Council colleagues to focus the scope of the Motion. In the end, the following was passed:

1. That Administration provide a report that brings back bylaw amendments to remove the playground zones from the locations listed in Attachment 2 of the revised report and add or subtract any other locations identified by Councillors for and in their wards, and come back to a non stat hearing at committee. 
2. That Administration report back on existing practice and how it would approach establishing roadway controls design criteria that lead to intuitive driving practices, and that avoid a proliferation of signs and other distractions.
3. That Administration develop a mechanism whereby residents can request a review of a particular road to either establish a new playground zone, or have an existing playground zone modified or removed;
4. That Administration report back on adopting the “Alberta Transportation Guideline for Schools and Playground Zones and Areas” criteria regarding the establishment of playground areas and evaluate all zones against this criteria.
5. That Administration bring a report outlining options or recommendations for variable seasonal times for playground zones based on operational data.

and provide a report back on Parts 1 to 4 with due date of August 14, 2018, Urban Planning Committee meeting and Part 5 with a due date of Second Quarter 2019.

I am hopeful that by August, we will be able to remove playground zones from problem areas, including at Ramsay Park on Riverbend Road.

This motion will also allow us to do what should have been done in the first place, and employ objective evaluation criteria when making significant changes to our transportation system.

I also wanted to empower communities to give feedback on where playground zones should or should not exist, as you know best what is needed in your neighbourhood.

Finally, by the second quarter of next year, there will be recommendations made surrounding the hours of playground zones, one of the key concerns brought up in my survey.

I’ll be happy to send out an update in August providing next steps on these zones.

Please continue to stay engaged with my office on these important topics, and any other municipal issues you may have.