Montreal police will intensify surveillance at the corner of Rue de Rouen and Rue Parthenais and several adjacent intersections in the coming weeks after speaking to a citizen who filmed about forty motorists making illegal left turns there. within an hour. This is where little Mariia Fleckenkovska died five months ago on her way to school.
Posted at 12:05 p.m.
“We will reinstate an increased police presence at this and certain other intersections. We want to send a message, we want it to be very clear,” says the head of the Neighborhood Station (PDQ) 22 in Zentrum-Süd, Krisztina Balogh, in a telephone interview.
On Saturday, La Presse reported that a local resident, Nicolas Marcotte, filmed about 44 motorists making a forbidden left turn at the corner of Rue de Rouen and Rue Parthenais within an hour. Last December, little Mariia Fleckenkovska was killed by a car on her way to school.
“This street corner should be a place of refuge,” denounced Mr Marcotte in particular. The Rosemont-based 41-year-old man travels this part of Ville-Marie every day to drive his child to school. He claims to have observed an increase in car crime, particularly since the partial closure of the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel.
Kristina Balogh claims to have contacted Mr Marcotte to “discuss it with him”. “It was already part of the crossings that we monitored. On the other hand, when we see such a recurrence of unacceptable behavior, we reinforce our presence again. Our police officers were very shocked and affected by this drama. You can explain to people how important it is to be careful,” she explains.
Patrol officers from PDQ 22 will be involved, but “other forces” such as motorbike and awareness officers could also be called in as reinforcements to cover the entire no-turn, which is in effect daily between 3pm and 7pm at several intersections.
On site “the necessary time”
In addition to delivering insults to unruly people, the commander’s main goal is “to make it clear to motorists that it is important to respect the posted signs, especially in school areas with children, bicycles and vulnerable people”.
When asked how long this operation will last, the policewoman replies in one line: “the necessary time”. “In general, behavioral changes require a presence over a period of time. There is no deadline and we don’t want to name one. People need to understand that no matter when they are there, they could have a ticket,” she stresses.
Ms Balogh is also urging citizens to “denounce the problems they see in their neighbourhoods”. “We encourage everyone to do that. Any complaint is taken very seriously, followed up and we are able to take action,” she says.
Earlier this year, two nationwide demonstrations took place following the death of little Mariia. On Tuesday, parents denouncing the lack of safe facilities for children were able to meet Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility Geneviève Guilbault. “We have a clear message: that the MTQ sets mandatory standards for safety on the way to school,” said Ann-Julie Rhéaume, one of the mothers mobilizing for active transport safety and a co-organizer of the movement. Not one more death organizing the mobilization days.
With Lila Dussault and Nicolas Bérubé