Kids love Halloween. It’s the one night where they get to take over the streets. Unfortunately, it’s also by far the most dangerous night of the year when it comes to their safety from drivers.
In fact, a UBC study found that the risk of a pedestrian fatality among children aged 4-8 was ten times higher on Halloween than on similar days in the season.
Councilor Lucy Maloney is bringing forward a motion to address this, called “Safe Streets for Trick or Treats: Creating Safe Pedestrian Areas to Make Halloween a Little Less Scary”, and it needs your support so that it passes in council.
Children deserve at least one night of the year where they can take over the streets, dress up, and have fun with their friends. Kids running around from house to house and cars speeding by simply don’t mix.
The motion will make it super easy for residents to get free block party permits so they can close off their local streets to cars and open them up to kids on Halloween evening. See Seattle’s great program as an example of what this could look like!
This motion (full text here) comes to council on October 29, and we need your help to show support.
How do I help?
- Sign up to speak to council on October 29 (more information below). You must sign up by 5 PM on Tuesday, October 28.
- Email the Mayor and Council before October 28 at 5 PM:
Ken.Sim@vancouver.ca,
CLRbligh@vancouver.ca,
CLRmaloney@vancouver.ca,
CLRorr@vancouver.ca,
CLRdominato@vancouver.ca,
CLRfry@vancouver.ca,
CLRkirby-yung@vancouver.ca,
CLRklassen@vancouver.ca,
CLRmeiszner@vancouver.ca,
CLRmontague@vancouver.ca,
CLRzhou@vancouver.ca
Title your email something like “I support the “Safe Streets for Trick or Treats” motion“. Tell the mayor and council why this is important to you!
Registering to speak to council
To register to speak to council on this motion, go here. Click “Request to Speak” and then click the box for “Motion 1. Safe Streets for Trick or Treats: Creating Safe Pedestrian Areas to Make Halloween a Little Less Scary” and then click Support
Choose whether you prefer to go in person or call in by phone. Hit “Next” at the bottom of the page.
You should receive an email confirmation with more information. This might include your speaker number, instructions for calling in, and how many minutes you will have to speak.
Follow along during the meeting to watch for the relevant agenda item. If the motion is further down on the list, you may want to check in every so often to track progress and wait to call in. Sometimes councils can take a few hours up to a whole meeting just to discuss an agenda item. You can follow the City Clerk on twitter where updates get posted about the day’s schedule.
When the motion comes up, be prepared to call in. You’ll probably want to call at least 3-5 speakers ahead of you. Once you’re connected, you’ll usually be able to hear the live meeting discussion on your phone, so remember to mute your computer audio if you’ve been watching along. Your phone line will remain muted until it’s your turn, so listen carefully. Usually someone will say your name or say your speaker number, and then they’ll unmute you and it’s your turn!
You’ll have 3 minutes to tell them why you support the motion. Personal stories are great, or feel free to use info from this page. Don’t worry too much about getting the “perfect” message, just having your voice heard is very meaningful!
Vision Zero Vancouver 