Oxford Says No to Pugwash Crossing Guards

Oxford has turned down a request to help offset the cost of crossing guards in Pugwash.

With Oxford students being bussed to school in Pugwash, the Village hired crossing guards to protect the larger number of children crossing the busy Church Street between two schools.

Oxford says they appreciate the crossing guard service, but they won’t pay half the cost. The town says the province should pay.

A letter from Pugwash Village Commission asked the town to pay half the $137 weekly cost for a crossing guard.

Councillor Wade Adshade asked if money saved by not having guards in Oxford could be used for this purpose and CAO Rachel Jones said there is money in the budget.

Councillor Rick Draper said the department of education should pay it. Jones commented, “They deemed it a service they should provide that now they’re asking us to cover.”

Mayor Trish Stewart (in the photo) said this is a “cost that should be given to the province, not the town.”

In the end, most or all councillors agreed the request should be redirected to the province.