The City of Calgary says there have been no collisions reported at the intersection of Taradale Drive and Tarington Way N.E. in the 19 years prior to a hit-and-run last week that injured a 12-year-old boy. “I’m surprised and shocked in a way, because what I’m hearing from residents now ... Is it’s very dangerous,” said Ward 5 Coun. Raj Dhaliwal. The city did implement traffic safety mechanisms over the last several years, including speed bumps, extended curbs and, most recently, a transportation data device attached to a light pole. Information collected from the device will be used for a traffic study. A pedestrian collision did occur in the school zone near Ted Harrison School in November 2023, according to the city. “Immediate actions previously implemented include traffic calming curb extensions and ladder marked crosswalks at the intersection,” reads a statement from the city. “Additionally, Taradale Drive is a designated speed cushion corridor to help achieve compliance with vehicle speeds.” The city has requested increased enforcement along with updated traffic counts and says it will make adjustments, if the data warrants it. Calgary hit-and-run Bentley St John was hit in the marked crosswalk by a vehicle last Tuesday. The collision broke his leg in three places. “Every intersection holds somebody’s life,” said Garry Sinclair, St John’s uncle. “That crosswalk holds somebody’s life.” Sinclair went to the same intersection on Sunday and recorded a video of a vehicle speeding around another vehicle in the playground zone. “As soon as he gets up to the intersection where he’s got that little bit of space and there’s no cars, he just flies around him like he’s on the highway,” Sinclair said. “How can this happen right after what just happened? Like, there was a child hit at this intersection, and you’re doing this?” Sinclair says he notified police, who arrived within 15 minutes. Dhaliwal says reckless driving has been a constant problem along that stretch of road. “This is nothing new,” he said. “Taradale Drive is notorious for this.” Mayor Jeromy Farkas says the city is hoping to make roads safer for pedestrians. “We are likely to be seeing this year, as the most dangerous year ever in Calgary’s history to be a pedestrian, especially for Calgarian children and youth, our vulnerable seniors,” he said. Sandeep Kaur’s son attends Ted Harrison School, near the crosswalk. She says she worries for her son being hit. “It’s really bad. That’s why I drop my son right there, because its too dangerous. Some people’s driving is very rash,” she said. “I think the 90 per cent of mistakes are from cars and vehicles. Because pedestrians are always looking both sides, but drivers are not very good at driving.” St John has been recovering from his broken leg at home. A crowdfunding campaign has raised thousands of dollars in donations for him and his family. “Thank you for all the gifts and presents and thank you to those people who signed my cast,” he said. Police say no one is in custody. Investigators are urging the public to look at any CCTV or dash-cam footage from around 7:10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10 that shows a white four-door sedan with tinted windows and a sunroof. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
