Hilton Beach has joined a number of communities across Ontario to implement a Community Safety Zone (CSZ).
Within the marked zone, motorists are required to reduce their speed for safety reasons and if caught speeding, fines are doubled. The rules of the road do not change within the zone, only the penalties for violations are increased.
Motorists may not have noticed but new signs were installed on Highway 548 at the western village boundary (hill leading into the village) and at Cherry Street.
The CSZ signs indicating the beginning and end of the zone was installed by the Ministry of Transportation or its contractor the first week of January 2020.
Hilton Beach Councillor Julie Moore spear-headed the move over three years ago and was unanimously approved by council.
“The original concept was Councillor Julie Moore’s and she deserves full credit along with Clerk Peggy Cramp for getting this particular ball rolling,” said Hilton Beach Mayor, Robert Hope. “Council and staff were a bit surprised at the timeframe involved in actually getting this to become a reality with approvals from various agencies etc. A quicker solution was anticipated.”
Moore said council made the decision based upon the complaints and feedback provided from a survey sent out to ratepayers, but primarily for the safety of our ratepayers and the visitors to our community.
The survey circulated by council in December 2016 included the purpose to indicate to motorists they are in a zone where fines could be increased through a special designation under the Highway Traffic Act (many fines are doubled such as speeding and traffic signal related offences).
The speed will remain the same as it at 50 km/h.
A concern was expressed that it would lead to increased costs to the OPP. Enforcing the speed limit is included in the costs that are paid for the OPP service and would not result in additional costs.
The survey asked ratepayers five questions regarding the proposal that would see a CSZ upon entry to the village from the West to Ash Street.
Council received 18 responses from the public. The result showed that 12 agreed with the safety zone, five disagreed and one was undecided.
At a public meeting on Feb. 8, 2017, council received an email from a ratepayer suggesting the zone be extended to Cherry St. due to a sharp corner and busy pedestrian traffic. Council agreed and notified the Ministry of Transportation.
“As a municipality, you have no control over provincial or federal speed limits, so our council tried to figure out a way to have some control or say and that's how we came up with the CSZ idea,” Moore said. “If we didn't have a say in the posted speed limits maybe we could help change the penalty for speeding through our community."
"Highway 548, is a provincial highway which runs right through Hilton Beach. There are ratepayers' homes, a community centre, a park and a beach, which I might add, are all adjacent to Hwy 548.”
Moore went on to say that in the summer months, seasonal residents return along with a greater influx of tourists which results in increased foot and bike traffic within their community.
“Along with the above-mentioned increases there is also an increase with vehicles,” she added. “People need to realize when they drive into our municipality. They need to slow down and be mindful of the posted speed limit. That's all. If not, and they receive a ticket for speeding and it is within the CSZ, the fines are increased. Hopefully, the word will get out to people to slow down when coming through the Village.”
The East Algoma Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police and Algoma-Manitoulin MPP, Mike Mantha wrote letters supporting the proposal in the interest of public safety in May of 2017.