[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/safety_rally.jpg” caption=”Maureene Ninham, administrative assistant, MSU, and John Popham, vice-president administration, MSU, kick off the rally this morning in front of the McMaster Museum of Art. Photo credit: Chantall Van Raay”]Students will rally for a safer campus core beginning this week.

McMaster's Student Representative Assembly (SRA) has organized a rally throughout the month of November to push for the creation of a safe pedestrian only zone in the core campus area.

The rally begins Wednesday, Nov. 2 and will continue until Nov. 30.

“We hope this event will increase awareness of the pedestrian core and will influence the University to impose stricter enforcement of unauthorized vehicles in the core,” says Drew Mitchell, SRA social sciences representative.

Students will focus on the area from Mills Library to General Sciences. They will stop all vehicles, with the exception of on-call emergency vehicles, to educate them about the pedestrian only zone and provide alternate routes. The rally will run each weekday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Students will be located at two checkpoints: between the General Sciences Building and Hamilton Hall, and in front of the McMaster Museum of Art.

“When vehicles approach us we will find out where they're going, why they're traveling through the core, if they know of alternate routes and also if they're authorized to be in this area,” says Mitchell. He adds that for the first week, they will keep track of this information to provide to Security Services who will use it to follow-up with departments and service companies who need more education.

The SRA also hopes to bring attention to the area between Divinity College and the hospital, where only emergency vehicles and Hamilton Street Railway vehicles are authorized. Security vehicles and physical plant vehicles are authorized to use this location during the bottom of each hour only.

Educating those who currently drive through the core is key, says Cathy O'Donnell, Crime Prevention Programs & Campus Community Relations. “The rally is a great way to educate people about alternative routes onto campus.

While students will be informing drivers of alternate routes, drivers also can find alternate routes at the parking kiosks or from a security officer, she says, adding there is currently a $75 fine for driving in the centre core without authorized use.

The University has put an increase focus on pedestrian safety of the campus core this year. A review of the University's shuttle bus service to west campus was conducted over the summer with close attention to concerns of health and safety, environmental impact and convenience.

In September, a new stop was introduced at the traffic circle in the back of the Mary Keyes residence. The shuttle operates on a 10-minute loop and the stop is less than a five-minute walk from most locations on campus. Because the shuttle bus route to zones 6 and 7 is shorter, one less bus is needed, which ultimately reduces emissions and environmental impacts. The new route also reduces bus traffic through the pedestrian-focused campus core.

“The student rally fits in really well with the University's objectives of improving pedestrian safety in the campus core,” says Karen Belaire, vice-president administration. “The University has been working diligently on making the campus core safer for pedestrians. This is a great example of students and staff working together towards a proactive goal of safety for everyone.”