Parents of students at Royal West Academy are calling on municipal officials to bring back 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 stationed there during the spring of 2026. The temporary presence was intended to provide short‑term safety while the city pursued longer‑term upgrades to the crossing.
The demand for a permanent guard is rooted in a series of incidents in which several children from the school were struck by vehicles at the same intersection over recent years. Those accidents have heightened concerns among families about the adequacy of existing traffic controls and the risk to pedestrians traveling to and from school.
City planners had scheduled permanent improvements to the intersection, but progress has stalled. A strike by rail workers has delayed the delivery of materials and the scheduling of construction crews, pushing back the timeline for the planned upgrades. In the meantime, the temporary crossing guard was taken down, leaving the intersection without dedicated supervision during peak school‑hour traffic.
Royal West Academy officials have expressed support for the parents’ appeal, noting that the safety of students remains a priority for the school community. The parents’ campaign is directed at municipal authorities responsible for traffic safety and infrastructure, urging them to prioritize the reinstatement of a crossing guard until the permanent works can be completed.
The situation highlights the broader challenges of maintaining pedestrian safety in areas where infrastructure projects are subject to external delays, such as labor disputes. As the rail workers’ strike continues, the parents of Royal West Academy remain focused on securing an immediate, reliable solution for their children’s daily commute.
City representatives have not yet issued a definitive response, but the ongoing dialogue underscores the community’s expectation that a permanent, staffed crossing guard will be reinstated once the strike concludes and the intersection upgrades can move forward.