School and Play Zones

Park Zone or Area? What is the Difference?

Park Zones or Areas are designated around various parks spaces in the City of Yorkton using TAC Standards. The focus is to reduce speeds and create awareness that children are playing in the area. The parks and schools received a recommendation on the type of zone required, be it a zone, an area, or if it was required at all.

A “zone” means there is a required speed reduction. Zones are designated at high-use parks that attract children, or groups of children, and families to play.

An “area” means that signs are in place to remind or warn motorists that a Park is near and there may be an increased number of children in the area, such as in an open green space with no playground structures or other attractive amenities.

Community Consultation

The City's speed limits and times in these zones and areas have been set with the stakeholders. Stakeholders included all school administrators and council committees that are made up of community members. 

• City Council Committees that were involved in the review process were:
  • Recreation & Community Services Committee
  • Planning & Infrastructure Commission
  • Protective Services Committee
  • Yorkton Active Transportation Collaborative (YATC)

Transportation Association of Canada

Since there is no Provincial or Federal requirements for Park or School speeds or zone lengths, the City used resources from the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC). TAC is a national non-profit technical organization that focuses on road and highway infrastructure and urban transportation. TAC guidelines are not legislated, but they create standards that are recognized as best practices across Canada. 

TAC’s guidelines are based on the standard definition that Park and School areas should be designed to warn motorists of the possibility of typical or unexpected child pedestrian movements onto roads at unmarked crossing locations. The areas include near playground structures or other amenities that young children are attracted to, or gather at, and where the adult supervision is minimal or not present at all.

 Resource Information

• Yorkton School Zone & Park Zone or Area Locations
• Saskatchewan Community Speed Zone Comparison
• World Health Organization - Road Safety Speed
• City of Saskatoon - Stopping Distances