The Delta School Board is putting forward a request to the city to increase the current number of adult crossing guards for 2024/25 school year.
The school district proposes to increase the current number from 29 to 30 adult crossing guards at 19 locations for a total cost of $122,635.
The change is the result of adding an additional crossing guard at 92 Avenue and 116 Street for children going to Gibson Elementary, while repositioning of a guard for Brooke Elementary for Brooke Road at Dunlop Road from Brooke Road at Nordel Way.
The guards at all sites, with the exception of Gray Elementary, are on duty from 8:30 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 3:30 p.m., with the guard at Gray on duty from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m. and 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. due to setting up and taking down of pylons along 80 Avenue.
The city provided the school district a $118,800 grant for 2023/24 for 29 guards, and $114,960 for 28 crossing guards the previous year.
For 2021/22, the program cost $111,125 for 27 crosswalk locations in Delta attended by adult school crossing guards.
In the spring of 1999, parents rallied against the school board’s decision to cut the district’s crossing guard program due to a budget shortfall. The crossing guard portion of the budget at the time was $107,000.
A deal was then struck between the city and the school board that saw the municipality pick up the cost and a memorandum of understanding was signed that saw the city assume funding beginning in the fall of 1999. The annual cost since has been in the $100,000 range.
Following a review, the school district submits an annual request to the city, which also reviews the program and adjusts.
