PORTSMOUTH, Va. — For half a century, a miniature version of the city has helped children in Portsmouth learn how to navigate the real world safely.
Safety Town, located on Safety Town Drive, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this October.
The small-scale city, complete with a schoolhouse, tunnel, police station and fire station, has long served as a hands-on learning environment for elementary students to practice pedestrian, bicycle and general public safety.
The program, which teaches about 4,000 public school children annually, focuses on bicycle safety, pedestrian safety, stranger danger and gun awareness.
“We’re excited to launch our 50th year here at Safety Town, and we’re looking forward to our 50th anniversary celebration,” said Bruce LaLonde, president of the Safety Town Advisory Committee.
Brighton Elementary students recently visited the site, where they got to explore traffic rules, safety signs and even how to respond to emergencies, all on kid-sized roads.
“My favorite part is the video and riding the bike,” one student said.
LaLonde says the program helps children in kindergarten through third grade gain awareness and confidence in a variety of real-world situations.
“Whether it be pedestrian safety, how to walk on the street safely, bicycle safety, learning all the signs, stranger danger, and, of course, gun safety, what happens if they see a weapon in a house that’s unattended?” LaLonde said.
LaLonde added that the miniature town helps reinforce safety lessons taught in schools and homes by allowing kids to practice in a controlled environment that mirrors the actual city of Portsmouth.
Thomas Becher with Hampton Roads Transit says HRT helped install the bus stops and benches to mimic transit riders.
LaLonde says the goal is to make safety lessons engaging and relatable for kids, while helping them become responsible citizens.
“We want you to be a kid too and have fun, but it’s about safety and keeping you and your whole family safe,” Lalonde said.
The public is invited to join the 50th anniversary celebration on Oct. 22 at Safety Town.
