Someone is stealing new speed limit signs in Cambridge, so far targeting 11 school zones and leaving city staff wondering who would do such a thing.
"We are currently aware of eleven locations across the city where signs have been removed and suspected stolen," the city's director of communications Alana Russell wrote in an email. "Staff are continuing to review other locations for missing signage and are working on coordinating their replacement."
The new signs were posted recently to reduce the speed limit in city school zones from 40 km/hr to 30 km/hr and are part of a city-wide effort to reduce speeds on residential streets.
The new limit is in effect at all hours of the day throughout the year and in four new locations starting early next year will be accompanied by municipal speed cameras to ticket anyone exceeding the limit.
The city says in all instances where the thefts occurred only the sign was taken and the only signs missing were the new speed limit signs.
Waterloo regional police haven't yet said if they are investigating.
Councillor Mike Devine told council about the issue last night after he noticed earlier in the day the 30 km/hr signs were missing in front of Hespeler Public School.
He alerted city staff to the problem and was told Hespeler was the third location where signs were reported missing.
That number quickly grew as staff began to investigate the issue.
When asked if he thinks whoever's doing it is upset with the new speed limits or speed cameras, Devine didn't want to speculate.
"I think the program around schools is good. It's good for our community," he said. "I don't know why anyone would take it upon themselves to do that."
"It's the old story. When you're in your own neighbourhood a lot of people drive sensibly, but when it's someone else's neighbourhood they don't drive the same."
Four new automated speed camera sites are coming soon to Myers Road, between Holy Spirit Catholic Elementary School and Moffat Creek Public Elementary School, Holiday Inn Drive, at Jacob Hespeler Public Highschool, Saginaw Parkway, at Clemens Mills Public School, and Avenue Road, at St. Peters Catholic Elementary School.
Coming soon signs have been posted in each location and the cameras are set to become active in the first two months of 2025. The Myers Road location will include implementation of a community safety zone between Moffat Creek and Holy Spirit.
The new camera sites join two already in operation in Cambridge; one in the school zone on Guelph Avenue, and one near Elgin Street Public School.
