A new city-owned radar speed sign and a group of dedicated volunteers will be helping Powell River motorists slow down.
With the purchase of the $10,000 radar speed sign, Powell River’s community speed-watch program will step up its presence in the area’s 10 school and playground zones.
“We switched to this new equipment so we’re working to get the program going again,” said Powell River RCMP constable Kerri Chard.
Chard, who recently took over community policing from relocated constable Tim Kenning, said speed-watch program volunteers will work with school parent-advisory committees to help make roads in neighbourhoods a little safer for children on their way to school or a park.
Retired BC Sheriff Service officer and longtime community policing volunteer Tim Samograd said the new sign will “do the job well.”
The sign is mounted to a metal tripod and has a bright, flashing orange display to tell drivers how fast they are travelling.
“It’s easy to set up, but we won’t be able to hide it as readily as the old equipment,” said Samograd.
RCMP sergeant Kevin Day said the sign will help improve driver awareness in the community.
“Sometimes the public doesn’t keep up on motorist issues in the community, so it allows people to know where certain areas may be a problem,” said Day.
The sign will be monitored by police and volunteers while set up and Chard said volunteers will be instructed to take down the licence plates of those who are speeding, so drivers can be sent warning letters in some cases.
In addition to school and playgrounds, motorists can expect to see the sign in areas where police have received complaints of excessive speeding, said Day.
“It is a priority of the Powell River RCMP to conduct traffic enforcement,” said Day. “It’s part of our annual performance plan and we make every effort to make sure it’s covered off in the community.”
Day said in order to identify roads that require more attention, he encourages the public to contact police with speeding complaints.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the speed-watch program is asked to contact the local RCMP detachment.
