Sidewalk for 'schoolers' - Students to benefit especially from Gordon Town Road work

Chad Bryan, Gleaner Writer

Principals Leighton Christie of Papine High School and Maureen Simmonds of Danny Williams School for the Deaf are satisfied with the work being done on a sidewalk along Gordon Town Road, in an area which has been unsafe for the many students who use it.

The Lester Mair Gilby School for the Deaf is also in the general area.

Both principals acknowledged that the sidewalk rehabilitation, which started approximately a week ago, was necessary due especially to the numerous students who traverse the area. Many of them had been forced to walk in the roadway, making it unsafe for pedestrians and drivers.

Special-needs
schools

Christie pointed out that although no
accidents have happened recently, there had been in the
past.

"We have always been lobbying the relevant
agencies, because in this area we have a lot of schoolchildren. There
are also a number of schools, too, with special needs and you might have
a few disabled children living in the area. The children have always
been walking in the road going down, to and from, so there is also a
need for proper sidewalks," said Christie who estimates that more than
1,300 students from his school alone will use the repaved
sidewalk.

Christie emphasised that the new sidewalk
will facilitate a special group of persons. "I am getting the impression
from the Member of Parliament André Hylton, after speaking with him,
that it will be friendly to the disabled children," he
said.

Simmonds was blunt in her assesment of what
obtained previously. "Truth be told, there wasn't a sidewalk around
there and it was very tacky. We applaud the work being done because of
the students who need to use it. It will be a welcome change," the Danny
Williams School for the Deaf principal said.

However,
while the new sidewalk addresses part of Gordon Town Road, Simmonds
went further to address the roads leading to her institution, as well as
other schools nearby in Hope Estate. She said they are in a deplorable
condition.

"We have been lobbying or asking for work
to be done on the roadway. Access to the schools around here is
extremely difficult, whether you come from the MIND end or the Gordon
Town Road end. Access to the schools around here is terrible. While we
applaud the sidewalk being done, I'm sure one of my teachers who drives
would love to see some road work being done," Simmonds said. 

Photos by Mel
Cooke