Parents of Royal West Academy students are urging municipal officials to restore a permanent crossing guard at the intersection of Westminster Avenue and Ainslie Road in Montreal West. The request follows the removal of a temporary guard that had been in place during the spring of 2026 and the postponement of planned safety upgrades at the same location.
The temporary crossing guard was installed in the spring of 2026 to address safety concerns after a series of incidents in which several students were struck by vehicles while crossing the intersection. The guard was withdrawn after a short period, leaving parents and school staff concerned about the continued risk to children walking to and from school.
Parents note that the intersection has been the site of multiple vehicle‑pedestrian collisions involving students in recent years. They argue that a permanent crossing guard would provide an immediate layer of protection while longer‑term engineering measures are finalized.
The city had scheduled a series of improvements to the intersection, intended to enhance visibility and traffic flow. Those upgrades have been delayed, according to the parents, because a rail workers’ strike disrupted the timeline for the related construction work. The strike, affecting a broader regional rail network, halted the procurement and deployment of materials needed for the safety project.
With the temporary guard no longer present and the longer‑term improvements pushed back, parents are pressing the municipal transportation department to prioritize the reinstatement of a permanent crossing guard. They have organized a petition and are seeking a meeting with city officials to discuss the next steps. The school administration has expressed support for the parents’ request and is monitoring the situation closely as the new school year progresses.
The outcome of the city’s response will determine whether the intersection will receive a permanent crossing guard before the next wave of safety improvements can be completed, a decision that parents say could affect the daily commute of hundreds of students.
The community remains attentive to any announcements from municipal authorities regarding the reinstatement of the crossing guard and the revised schedule for the planned intersection upgrades.