There may be less traffic around Howe Sound Secondary in the coming months, and, further down the road, a safer place for students to walk.
The District of Squamish is asking the Sea to Sky School District for permission to install a bus pullout, a walking path and to make a slight move to a sewage lift station.
These changes would be made on Buckley Avenue, on Howe Sound Secondary’s side of the road.
During the May 9 board meeting, school district facilities manager Ian Currie told trustees that the District was asking for a right of way to start working on these projects.
The board told Currie he could allow the District of Squamish to go ahead with the work.
The proposed bus pullout would be on the corner of the school right by the intersection of Buckley and Carson. It would be for the existing bus stop that’s already in place in that area.
There may also be a path that runs from the crosswalk just north of the pullout out to the northernmost entrance to Howe Sound on Buckley.
“The benefit of the pullout is that it stops the backup of traffic when the transit bus stops there,” said Currie. “This pullout alleviates that pressure.”
There was some concern that one or two mature trees by the stop would be harmed if a pullout was created.
Trustee Laura Godfrey said that many people used those trees for shade and they would be missed if they were removed.
“We don’t have many mature trees on Howe Sound grounds that provide much shade,” said Godfrey. “There’s a lot of other people who use that area, and that sun would just be beaming right down on them, and I think the loss of the trees would be a huge issue.”
Currie said that workers would do their best to preserve them, but no guarantees could be made. There’d also be a chance that crews could plant replacements.
The District was also considering putting a trail on Howe Sound Secondary’s side of Buckley Avenue parallel to the road. This path would stretch from Howe Sound to Squamish Elementary.
Providing a space to walk would hopefully eliminate the tendency for students to walk on the side of the road. Currently, there isn’t a sidewalk on that side of the road.
Finally, the District is considering replacing the sewage lift station currently next to the southernmost entrance to Howe Sound on Buckley.
The current sewage lift is past its service life.
Authorities are also hoping to move it slightly closer to Howe Sound. A diagram presented to the board shows the new lift is planned to have two manholes, a well, and an odour controller, among other things. It’s expected to be fenced in.
A small service road would link it to Buckley and the southernmost entrance to the school on that road.
Currie said it wouldn’t affect school district operations. Considerations would be made to ensure the placement of the structure won’t block traffic sightlines.
However, it may displace two juvenile trees, Currie told The Chief.
The District hopes to start the bus pullout and sewage lift projects in the summer.
Ideally, the bus pullout will be complete before the new school year in September.
The sewage lift will be completed after school starts in the fall, but most of the excavating is expected to be done before August.
A timeline for the trails has yet to be scheduled.
