6 days ago
Store manager wants city to improve intersection safety after volunteer hit by car crossing the road
The city needs to do more to protect pedestrians at the intersection of 26th Avenue and 34th Street S.W., said a storefront manager in Killarney whose elderly volunteer was seriously injured when a vehicle struck her there last week.
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The injured woman — who was later transported to hospital in serious condition — was hit by a Kia Soul around 1:35 p.m. last Friday while crossing the road to get to her bus stop.
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Laura Laanstra, the manager of nearby Mission Thrift Store on 26th Avenue S.W., told Postmedia the injured woman is a long-time volunteer at her shop named Sandy.
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Sandy had just left the shop for the afternoon, according to Laanstra, after she and the storefront's other volunteers and employees celebrated her 73rd birthday.
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The accident justifies why the city should install a rapid flashing beacon at that intersection to better protect crossing pedestrians, Laanstra said. She added she's considering starting a petition to that effect.
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'We really hope we can get some cooperation with the city to mark this intersection properly,' she said.
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Laanstra, who has been Mission Thrift Store's manager for 12 years, noted that traffic has recently increased along 26th Avenue, and she claimed many vehicles now speed 'all the time.'
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'When there's a set of lights that close to you, that's probably why they haven't done anything with this (spot) but it's still far too busy for them to ignore it, especially after what happened with Sandy,' she said.
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Mission Thrift Store has dozens of volunteers, Laanstra said. She added many of them do not drive and take the bus to and from the store, and is worried they could suffer a similar fate.
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As for Sandy, Laanstra said she is still in hospital with several broken ribs, and will also need surgery on her shattered pelvis.
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'She has stabilized, but not well enough to do surgery because her pelvis is very badly broken and most of the ribs on the right side are broken,' Laanstra said, adding she was able to visit her in hospital.
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'The crazy thing about her is that she was far more concerned about the lady that hit her. She said, 'I feel so bad for her and hope she's OK.' That's typical Sandy. She really cared about the other woman.'
