'Slow down' sign sparks debate over children playing in street

This street sign warns motorists to slow down in an Ottawa neighbourhood.

A little turtle is stirring up big debate in an Ottawa neighbourhood over whether children should be free to play on a residential street.

Lisa O'Kane set up a standing turtle sign on Saturday at the intersection of her residential street, warning drivers to slow down for children at play. The light green, knee-high turtle is positioned so that it does not interfere with the flow of traffic.

O'Kane says the sign is meant to make children feel safe about playing outside, without fear of speeding vehicles. "The idea is to just kind of alert cars as they come around the corner," O'Kane told CTV Ottawa on Tuesday.

But some residents of Ottawa's Stittsville neighbourhood say the pylon-like sign is encouraging children to play on the road. They also suggest the sign could create safety issues for the kids, or for emergency response vehicles that need to travel through the area.

"It gives the kids the idea that it's OK (to play in the street), and it's not," Bill Theriault, of Ottawa, wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday. Theriault posted a photo of the sign in a community Facebook group, calling it a "major issue" that should be addressed by a city councillor or bylaw officer. In his post, Theriault suggests the sign might get in the way of a fire truck, ambulance, police car or "out of control vehicle."

Lisa O'Kane's husband, Stephen, fired back at Theriault with a comment on the post, saying: "I put this out. Number one reason so people who drive and take photos at the same time maybe hit the sign and not any of the neighbourhood kids."

Many commenters praised the sign as a way to discourage reckless driving and protect children. Others pointed out that the city has a bylaw against playing sports on any street but a cul-de-sac.

"Sounds like you all live in a neighbourhood full of criminals and ne'er do wells," one user quipped, in response to concerns about speeding drivers. "It's like Mad Max out there in Stittsville."

Coun. Shad Qadri came out against the sign this week, pointing out that it's illegal to play hockey on the street.

"The issue for me is, once you put children out on that street with a hockey stick or whatever they're playing with, you may create an unneeded or unwanted situation," Qadri told CTV Ottawa on Tuesday.

It is also illegal to place a standing sign in a residential roadway, according to the City of Ottawa's bylaws.

The city has its own program for encouraging drivers to slow down around children at play, which includes signs that can be posted at the edge of the road.

"Any other reminder we can have is an added bonus for us," Linda O'Kane said.

With files from CTV Ottawa