INNISFAIL – For the past seven years Lindsay Pickard has noticed increasing danger in the downtown core.
Too many motorists are not paying enough attention while driving along Main Street, and fail to notice pedestrians using crosswalks, said Pickard.
“I am looking both ways, and looking out as I cross but these close calls remain a harrowing reality of mine and others,” said Pickard during her passionate and at times emotional presentation to town council on Feb. 26. “One of them being a heart-stopping moment a few weeks ago when it was clear and dry and the crosswalk I entered was marked and visible.”
The 34-year-old Pickard, who was born and raised in Innisfail, told council that on Feb. 15 she used the crosswalk from the Innisfail Dairy Queen side of Main Street to go to work at Fourlane Ford.
Council was told some vehicles stopped for Pickard but a motorist in the furthest lane away from her was blocked from view by a delivery truck.
The unseen motorist sped by Pickard, missing her by the narrowest of margins.
“Had I taken one more step I would have been struck right in front of my workplace at Fourlane Ford in broad daylight where I work alongside my mom,” said Pickard emotionally. She then briefly paused to regain her composure.
“It left me so shaken up and recalling all the other times and how it’s just getting worse and worse,” she continued.
Pickard said she later shared her “heart-stopping” experience on the Innisfail Bulletin Facebook page and received an “outpouring of support” from fellow Innisfailians who echoed similar experiences and frustrations.
"This isn’t just about one isolated incident; it’s about a pattern of unsafe crossings in our town,” said Pickard. “The crossing towards Fas Gas from the train tracks and then towards the bowling alley are consistently hazardous, as well as the crossing at the top of Cemetery Hill towards Kal Tire.
“Those pose risks to pedestrians on a daily basis.”
She pointed out to council that the Government of Alberta has ruled into law that pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk, even if they are unmarked and that all vehicles must stop and yield to pedestrians.
Failure to do so can result in a $810 fine and four demerit points.
Pickard told the Albertan the driver involved in the Feb. 15 has not yet been identified.
After sharing her “heart-stopping” experience Pickard asked council to consider creating additional button-activated, lighted crosswalks for the downtown core; similar to the pair already in place on Main Street and by the White Rock Crossing near the Innisfail Schools Campus.
“They offer a tangible and proven method to enhance safety,” Pickard told council. “Drivers tend to respond to something that is more obvious and legitimate than yield or pedestrian signs.”
Council was clearly moved by Pickard’s presentation.
Coun. Jason Heistad said he and his wife had a similar “heart-stopping” experience on Feb. 26 near the Fas Gas and were “almost hit” in the middle of the crosswalk.
“I really appreciate you coming forward today. It helps us and administration to do a good job and to ensure safety in our community,” said Heistad. “I think it'd be good for us to maybe do a check-in and do a tour of our community and see where these issues are in town. I think there is a number of issues with our crosswalks.”
Coun. Dale Dunham saluted Pickard for coming forward, as it initiated a necessary conversation towards solutions.
“Many things in our community have to start with people like you to come forward to us to speak about it,” said Dunham. “That gets a conversation going.”
Mayor Jean Barclay proposed a motion for administration to bring back a report on “road safety traffic patterns.”
Todd Becker, the town’s chief administrative officer, said his staff could work on a pedestrian safety assessments report that would “highlight some of the challenges” with pedestrian safety in specific areas of town.
“Certainly 50th Street, and I think around the Fast Gas area and maybe those main thoroughfares where traffic patterns are maybe heavier,” countered Barclay.
Council then unanimously passed a motion to direct administration to conduct a pedestrian safety review and bring it back for council’s consideration.
Following her presentation, Pickard said while she was pleased with council’s response she was also grateful for the initial support she received from councillors Heistad, Dunham and Janice Wing following her after-incident posts on the Innisfail Bulletin.
“They were really advocating for me to come and make a presentation before I even thought I was going to,” said Pickard. “That really made me feel hopeful to know they really wanted to put a face to what I was going to talk about.”
