in Chatsworth, Grey Highlands, Southgate, West Grey
December 31, 2022
BY SOUTHGREY.CA STAFF — While the initial story itself, was devastating, it was the community response that took it all the way to #2 in our top 10 list. On July 19, the Grey Bruce OPP, Grey Highlands Fire Department, and Grey County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), responded to a report of a collision involving a motor vehicle and four pedestrians on Inkerman Street in the Municipality of Grey Highlands. The motor vehicle fled the scene.
In the aftermath, one pedestrian was deceased, one other suffered life-threatening injuries and two were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a London hospital. Grief-stricken by the incident, an entire community collectively held its breath, as the victims recovered.
The hospitalized victims were identified and friends and family sprang into action. Go Fund Me fundraisers were set up to help offset the costs of caring and compensate for the devastating losses incurred for Lisa Pottier and Kevin Walsh's family, Pauline Craig and Mike Reid.
At the date of publication, these fundraisers have reached the following milestones:
Kevin Walsh Memorial Fund: $160,329 raised ($100,000 goal)
Pauline Craig: $89,184 raised ($50,000 goal)
Mike Reid: $17,860 raised ($10,000 goal)
Since the accident, the Grey Highlands community has rallied behind the concern for safe streets. The topic became a campaign issue in the Fall municipal election. Although the exact cause of this incident was still being investigated and litigated, speeding through our neighbourhoods in general, has been increasingly observed by residents.
Earlier in the year, the Ontario government took action to protect road users against unsafe and aggressive driving with the introduction of the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, 2021, also known as the MOMS Act. The proposed legislation introduced new measures to combat high-risk driving and improve road safety, including longer driver’s licence suspensions and longer vehicle impoundment periods for drivers who engage in stunt driving, street racing and aggressive driving.
In October, 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled it's Global Plan: Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 — a guiding document to support the implementation of various objectives. The explicit target of the WHO Plan was to reduce road deaths and injuries by at least 50% during the next 10 years. Many of the recommendations found within it, can be adopted by all levels of government.
One of the first orders of business in the new Council's inaugural December 7 meeting, was the creation of a Road Safety Community Partnership Committee to investigate further solutions to making all roads in Grey Highlands safer.
We hope these initiatives continue in 2023. Read all about it:
GoFundMe campaigns set up to aid victims of the hit-and-run in Eugenia on July 19, 2022
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