School Streets: Creating Space for Children to Move and Belong
Imagine if getting to school felt like the best part of the day, where the street outside the school is designed not just for convenience, but for connection. A space where laughter replaces traffic noise, neighbours stop to say hello, and children can walk, bike, or wheel freely alongside friends and family. Instead of rushing through a busy drop-off zone, students arrive feeling safe, welcomed, connected, and ready to begin the day.
That’s the vision behind School Streets: creating safer, more welcoming spaces outside schools that put people first. By encouraging movement, connection, and community, School Streets help transform the journey to and from school into an experience children and families can enjoy together.
About School Streets:
A School Street uses temporary street closures to create car-free spaces in front of schools during drop-off and pick-up times. By limiting vehicle traffic, School Streets help reduce congestion and create safer, more welcoming environments for children and families walking, biking, or wheeling to school.
Ever Active is proud to partner with Green Communities Canada to bring the National Active School Streets Initiative (NASSI) to Edmonton. As one of several cities across Canada piloting School Streets, Edmonton is part of a growing movement to create safer, more people-focused school environments.
How School Streets Began:
While the idea may feel new locally, School Streets have been around for decades. The concept began in Bolzano, Italy, in the early 1990s and has since spread to cities across Canada, including Victoria, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montréal. Today, NASSI represents Canada’s largest coordinated School Streets effort, supported by national partners like 8 80 Cities, Centre d’écologie urbaine and the Society for Children and Youth of BC, with research support from institutions such as Université de Montréal, Queen’s University, University of British Columbia, and Toronto Metropolitan University. These organizations bring years of experience from projects across the country, helping communities design and implement School Streets in ways that are both practical and impactful.
Why School Streets Matter:
A small change in how we use the street can lead to meaningful improvements in safety, physical activity, and community connection.
According to the 2024 Children & Youth Report Card, only 39% of children and youth in Canada are getting the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity (ParticipACTION, 2024). This highlights the importance of building movement into everyday routines—like walking, biking, or wheeling to and from school.
At the same time, the environment around schools plays an important role in how safe families feel while travelling. Research from the Child Active Transportation Safety and the Environment (CHASE) study found that risky driving behaviours were observed at 98% of school sites during drop-off times (Rothman et al., 2024). These conditions can create stress for families and become a barrier to active travel.
School Streets help support healthier school communities by encouraging active travel and reducing traffic-related stress around schools. Here are some of the benefits:
- More active travel – encouraging students to walk, bike, and wheel to school
- Cleaner air – fewer cars means a healthier environment around schools
- Safer streets – reduced congestion creates calmer, more predictable traffic conditions
- Growing independence – helping children build confidence in navigating their community
- Stronger connections – creating space for families and neighbours to meet and connect.
Getting Started at St. Leo Catholic Elementary
We’re excited to bring Edmonton’s first School Street to St. Leo Catholic Elementary School on June 2 from 7:30-8:30AM & 2:30-3:30PM, and June 4, from 7:30-8:30AM and 11:30-12:30PM. During drop-off and pick-up times, 121 Avenue NW (between 54 Street NW and 55 Street NW) will be temporarily closed to vehicle traffic, creating space for a safer, more welcoming start and end to the school day.
As the street closes to cars, it will open up for students, families, and neighbours. Instead of traffic, you’ll see children walking, biking, and wheeling to school, families arriving together, and friendly conversations happening along the way. The space will come alive with simple games and activities, creating opportunities for students to move, play, and connect before the bell and after dismissal. Staff and volunteers will be on-site to help guide the closure and support a safe, positive experience for everyone.
What is usually a busy roadway will become a shared community space—one where people can pause, connect, and be part of the school day.
Looking Ahead
This is just the beginning. School Streets offer a glimpse of what’s possible when we create space for people, supporting safer travel, stronger connections, and a greater sense of belonging for every child. As part of the NASSI project, Ever Active will continue expanding the School Streets program throughout the 2026–2027 school year, creating opportunities for more schools and communities to get involved.
For more information about School Streets, please contact:
Jenn Mireau (she/her)
Health & Wellness Consultant – Ever Active
P: 587.839.1174
We gratefully acknowledge the support and partnership of the City of Edmonton, the Edmonton Catholic School Division, the Newton Community and, of course, St. Leo Catholic Elementary School.
This project is supported by the National Active School Streets Initiative, with financial support from the Public Health Agency of Canada/l’Agence de santé publique du Canada, and local support from a donation by Bunt & Associates Engineering Ltd.
References:
ParticipACTION. (2024). The ParticipACTION report card on physical activity for children and youth. ParticipACTION.
https://www.participaction.com/the-science/children-and-youth-report-card/
Rothman, L., Macarthur, C., et al. (2024). Risky driving behaviours at school drop-off across Canadian municipalities: Findings from the Child Active Transportation Safety and the Environment (CHASE) study. Injury Prevention. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40205785/