Steinbach votes to add school zone

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This article was published 18/08/2025 (220 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Steinbach city council approved a plan that would extend the school zone to Kroeker Ave. near Southwood School as part of three recommendations intended to address safety concerns posed by the school.

The decision, unanimously supported at the Aug. 5 meeting, was in response to a March 26 letter submitted by the Hanover School Division Operations Committee on behalf of Southwood Elementary School and its parent advisory council.

In it they asked for a reduced school zone speed on Kroeker and one of a variety of measures including speed bumps approaching a crosswalk, a four-way stop sign at the bus loop where it meets Kroeker, changes to sidewalks or a “different reasonable suggestion from the City of Steinbach that ensures safe passage for children crossing Kroeker to enter Southwood School property.”

Council referred the matter to administration in March who came back with the report and recommendations at the recent meeting.

Administration made three recommendations to council.

They suggested they install “school area” signs along Kroeker and Southwood.

Administration also suggested that the school relocate its fence opening to the south corner of the schoolyard, explaining it’s a safer crossing point and would reduce the number of pedestrians crossing Kroeker Ave. at the Southwood Drive intersection and bus loop exit.

They also recommended that landowners be instructed to cut back or remove any landscaping in the southeast Kroeker boulevard to improve visibility.

Coun. Michael Zwaagstra made a motion to adopt the three recommendations with one exception.

He called for the school area to be changed into a school zone. A school area is meant to get drivers to voluntarily slow down while a school zone comes with a 30 km/h speed limit.

“We don’t change areas to school zones lightly,” he said. “It is something that we obviously have to deliberate on carefully because reducing speed to 30 km/h clearly does effect traffic flow.”

Since 2014, the City of Steinbach has followed Transportation Association of Canada and Guideline for School and Playground Zones and Areas guidelines before making school zones.

Under those guidelines, a detailed study results in a score out of 100. This street scored 68, which falls in the lower end of the category ranging from 65 to 80 which could be a school area or a school zone.

Zwaagstra said they have to consider that they had the official request from the school, are seeing increasing enrolments and already have adjacent school zones.

“It makes sense to have that part of Kroeker, just that the part that borders Southwood School, an actual school zone,” he said. “I think it makes more sense to err on the side of safety.”

Establishing a new school zone will require a bylaw change and public hearing.

“I think this is a reasonable approach,” he added. “I think it generally fits along with what was requested for safety reasons.”

Coun. Jake Hiebert, the motion’s seconder also voiced his support.

“What is imperative to council and obviously the school board is the safety of our children, and I think the recommendations here will enhance that safety,” he said.

Mayor Earl Funk agreed with his council.

“I think that we’ve come up with a very balanced approach and something that will work well,” he said.

According to the report presented to council by administration, Steinbach Fire Department data indicates there have been no accidents at the intersections of Third and Kroeker or Kroeker and Southwood since 2010.