Colwood council has reluctantly agreed to cover the costs of school crossing guards last year after falling short on business sponsors.

Guards at Sangster, Colwood and David Cameron elementary schools cost about $21,000 per year. Businesses covered all but $3,000 through the CityB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淎dopt a CrossingB次元官网网址� program during 2010-11.

Last week Colwood council voted unanimously to dip into its contingency fund to cover the shortfall for last school year and, if necessary, do it again this year.

B次元官网网址淭he mayor (Dave Saunders) and I are actively seeking business sponsors,B次元官网网址� said Coun. Judith Cullington. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e hopeful something will come through so this doesnB次元官网网址檛 fall to the taxpayers again.B次元官网网址�

For 2011-2012, Thrifty Foods has sponsored the crossing guard at Colwood elementary and Shaw Communications gave $7,000 to cover guards for half of the year at the other two schools. The City needs another $7,000 to cover the remaining cost of the program.

Several councillors expressed frustration that the responsibility for crossing guards doesnB次元官网网址檛 fall to the Sooke School District.

B次元官网网址淭he school district has a much larger budget than the City,B次元官网网址� Coun. Ernie Robertson lamented. B次元官网网址淭heir primary responsibility should be for the kidsB次元官网网址攇etting (them) to school safe, which includes crossing the street.B次元官网网址�

Coun. Gordie Logan said itB次元官网网址檚 unlikely the school district will change its position on funding the guards anytime soon.

B次元官网网址淥ther municipalities are up against the same struggle,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淯ltimately this is on our shoulders. We need to (guarantee the funding) to provide certainty to the parents that there will always be a guard there for their children.B次元官网网址�

Lehigh Northwest Materials funded all three crossing guards until its gravel mine operation in Royal Bay closed in 2008.

news@goldstreamgazette.com