Photo: Google/Jow Jow

Where parents are picking up their kids after school has become an issue for a local shopping centre.

Students and parents from Sa-Hali Secondary School using the Columbia Square Mall (CSM) parking lot as a meet-up spot has mall administration worried, and they've brought that up with the school, says principal Rachael Sdoutz.

Issues include parents taking up parking spaces meant for customers, congestion caused by increased traffic and students gathering and blocking access to businesses.

"A large number of our parents and our students are using CSM as a convenient place for after-school pickup," Sdoutz tells Castanet. "It’s become a real challenge for the maintenance of CSM."

Significant congestion at the Arrowstone Drive school happens daily around 3 p.m. (school gets out at 2:55 p.m.). Congestion eases minutes later, she notes, and the school pickup spot is usually empty by 3:10 p.m.

Because of what's going on in the CSM parking lot, Kamloops Mounties have been alerted to the problem and will be in the area next week to educate the public.

"Our (student liaison officer) will be in attendance next week with bylaw to provide awareness and education to the students and their parents regarding the issues this has caused for the businesses in that area," Sgt. Darren Michels writes in an email to Castanet. "We are committed to working in partnership with Sa-Hali School, COK (City of Kamloops) bylaws, and the local businesses affected to come to an amicable resolution."

Sdoutz echoes the message of being respectful.

"We have to make sure we’re acting in good faith and acting as a good neighbour," she says of the school community.

She notes the issue has been growing as the school's population has increased, and that the pandemic has made people more aware of gatherings. Adding to the congestion at that time of day are students heading for city busses.

A letter alerting parents to the RCMP's plans next week has been sent out, and Sdoutz hopes some people will start picking up students a little later at the school to help alleviate the situation.

"If they can saunter over to the mall, they can wait on school property," she says, adding that students are always safe on school property.