Staff members from the HOP daycare and parents who rely on the daycare, voiced their frustrations during Monday's RM council meeting. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Access roads

Buckland council not budging on road closure

Feb 12, 2024 | 5:00 PM

Despite the tearful pleas from a group of daycare workers and parents, the Rural Municipality of Buckland council is not backing down on their decision to close off a road that was providing access to a local daycare.

The issues related to 15th St. NW came up during Monday’s council meeting. Larissa Leblanc, director of the House of Potter (HOP) daycare, explained since the access road was gated off last month, their parents are spending more on gas, running late to work and even considering quitting their jobs.

“It’s costing a lot,” she said.

With the gate closed, it means parents from the Spruce Home area must first drive into Prince Albert, before turning off onto Highway 3. However following the twinning work that was completed in late 2022, they then face an additional 10 to 15 km drive each way from the daycare.

“We are requesting your support,” Leblanc said.

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While one parent expressed concerns related to access for emergency services, another parent explained simply going to a different daycare was not an option. She noted she had been on one wait list since March, 2022 and was still 584th in line.

RM Administrator Cori Sarginson explained the RM’s intention had always been to keep the road open, but added when the Ministry of Highways failed to fix the large dip in the road, it became a huge safety concern and the RM did not want to be held liable should an accident occur.

“They didn’t leave us with much else to do,” she said.

In response, representatives asked whether the road could possibly be opened temporarily until a more permanent solution was worked out with the Ministry of Highways. To which, Reeve Don Fyrk asked what constituted temporary.

“That could be years,” he noted.

Reeve Don Fyrk listens intently to the concerned parents and staff members. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Following more discussion, council opted to keep the gate in place and encouraged the group to lobby the government to provide better access off Highway 3, even offering their full support. Outside the RM office, Leblanc confessed to paNOW she felt as though their concerns were not heard.

“You know we are trying and doing everything we can bending over backwards to provide these services, when it’s so easy for someone else to sit there and hinder it. And it might seem so light for then but it affects literally hundreds of people and I don’t think they necessarily realize that,” she said.

And with respect to council’s response to the road closure, Leblanc said it just feels like everyone wants to pass the buck. She had also informed council a move to a more supportive location was not out of the question.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell