A NEW raised pedestrian crossing outside Ryde Public School is one of the projects being funded by the NSW Government to make it easier for kids to walk, ride or scoot to school.
The new “wombat crossing” on Argyle Avenue, Ryde, will include fencing and concrete blisters to slow vehicles outside Ryde Public School, making it safer for kids to cross before and after school and for community members to access Top Ryde Shopping Centre.
The new crossing is part of a $10M Get Kids Active fund, a Minns Labor Government initiative that is delivering projects around primary schools that make it safer and more comfortable for students and their families to walking, scoot or ride to school.
The new program, announced in early 2024, has seen grants of up to $800,000 secured by 24 councils to deliver new projects.
The Get Kids Active program has also brought bike skills courses into the school yard, to increase kids’ confidence and safety awareness when on two wheels.
So far, over 1000 students at 18 schools across NSW have enrolled in the school holiday courses, learning about safely crossing the road with their bikes, correct helmet fitting, riding on ramps and taking part in fun-filled activities like relays.
The Get Kids Active program will give primary school children and their parents more confidence to ditch the car trip to and from school, and consider walking, bike riding, scootering or skateboarding instead.
The funding announcement comes as applications open for another $60M in Get Active NSW grants for councils across the state.
Last year, 108 Get NSW Active projects were completed with a total grant value of $35.1 million. Of these, 50 projects were completed in greater Sydney worth $21.8 million and 58 were completed in regional and outer metropolitan areas worth $13.1M.
