By Colin Budd
Two Kitscoty youths, not even old enough to hold a driver’s license are among the leaders looking for changes to the Highway 16 and 897 intersection.
Nicole Campbell and Jacob Aldrich, both 15, have taken on the cause after the Leasa Headon death last week. They have used the power of social media to their advantage. Their Facebook groups both have over 2,300 members as of Wednesday morning, drawing attention to what they see is a need for change.
Enough was enough for both of them.
“Everybody saying something needs to be done after Leasa’s death and it didn’t seem like anything was getting done, so I said, OK, I’ll do it,” said Aldrich.
“I’m going be driving soon and I’d rather not have to drive through there worrying if I’m going to get into an accident and people I know getting into an accident,” said Campbell. “People kept posting something needs to be done and no one was doing anything about it.”
They are part of a busy group in the area that are in the process of launching petitions across the Lakeland region. Their goal is to see an overpass eventually built – sooner than later – but are also asking for interim solutions like dangerous intersection signage and speed reductions.
“I think people were really starting to get angry after (the fatal collision) a couple months ago, this was one was just, let’s do this,” said Aldrich.
There are multiple places to sign the petitions for Alberta residents, including the Chamber of Commerce office.
Earlier this week, MLA Lloyd Snelgrove met with local business people in Kitscoty and Erin O’Neill, a friend of Headon’s and the founder of the petition. In a statement, president and CEO of Automated Tank Manufacturing Joe Bowser said Snelgrove told them their call to reduce speeds might be able to move forward quickly and that the MLA would be in contact with the Minister of Transportation.
“My statement to Snelgrove was clearly that regardless of road construction and its timing, that speed reductions need to happen now,” said Bowser in the news release. “Snelgrove was somewhat in agreement without giving any solid commitment other than ‘I will try my best.’”
Snelgrove signed the petition present at the meeting.
For more information, the two Facebook groups are Prevent another death - fix the Kitscoty corner on Highway 16 and No More Deaths – Change Kitscoty Corner.