Father of Jude Strickland says safety improvements to Upper Gage Avenue are 'overdue'

Jude Strickland's father sayshe's happy Hamilton city council may make a stretch of Upper Gage Avenue safer, but knows it will never bring back his son.

"Like most things in life, we react to things rather than being proactive so we fix it too late in some ways, but hopefully in time for someone else to be spared a tragedy like wefaced," Jamie Strickland said in a phone interview on Monday morning.

A pick-up truck hit Jude as the 11-year-old walkedhome from Templemead Elementary School. Jude died in the hospital on Dec. 3, two days later.

Police charged the driver with dangerous driving causing death and said the28-year-old Hamilton man failed to stop for both the traffic light and the crossing guard.

It spurred Tom Jackson, Ward 6 councillor, to propose a safety audit of Upper Gage Avenue between Stone Church Road East and Rymal Road East last week during a public works committee meeting. The committee passed it unanimously.

The review could include changes like:

• A reduced speed limit.
• School zone flashing lights.
• Changes to the lanes on the road.
• Red light cameras or speed enforcement cameras.

In an email on Monday, Coun. Tom Jackson saidcity council is expected to ratify the safety audit on Wednesday, but traffic staff have already taken matters under advisement and have started the study process.

He said he hopes they can install school crossing guard signs at both ends of the intersection at Royalvista Drive and Upper Gage Avenue.

"This is in the memory of little Jude Strickland and the communities of Templemead and Eleanor."

Drivers need to follow the law: Jude's dad

Strickland said he finds it odd the stretch of road is always 50 km/h, even during school hours "when so many kids are crossing from the side we live on to go to Templemead."

He said designating the area as a school zone and reducing the speed limit in the area (during certain hours or permanently) could help, but Strickland doesn't want the changes to be rushed.

"There is a reality that people use Upper Gage and these main arteries to get to work and do groceries they need to still be usable," Strickland said.

"It's overdue, but I think the main problem though is people being in a rush and not paying attention. As much as we can put measures in place to try and keep us from driving faster than we should, it really still is on us to think of others more than ourselves when we're behind the wheel."