Ottawa·NewA Cornwall, Ont., woman who has worked as a crossing guard for half a century says helping generations of children make it safely to school gets her up in the morning and keeps her active. Rose Durley says the job keeps her active, engaged in her communityCBC News · Posted: Dec 07, 2025 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 31 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.The City of Cornwall held a ceremony to honour Rose Durley’s 50 years as a crossing guide on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. (Courtesy City of Cornwall)Over the past 50 years, Rose Durley has become a beloved fixture at the intersection of Sydney and Third Streets in Cornwall, Ont., with her stop sign and high-vis jacket, helping children cross the road. “Isn’t that awful — half a century, eh?” Durley joked in an interview with CBC’s Ottawa Morning on Wednesday, shortly before attending a ceremony that honoured her lifetime of service. At the intersection, Cornwall Mayor Justin Towndale unveiled a bench and plaque commemorating the crossing guard in front of her family and friends. “Thank you, Rose, for 50 years of helping children and pedestrians cross safely!” the city said in a statement. Durley, who wiped away tears during the ceremony, said she’s not one for a fuss. “It gets me up, gets me out,” she said of her motivation for continuing her work. “Fresh air in the morning, and I get my exercise down there too.”Cornwall Mayor Justin Towndale recognizes Rose Durley for her 50 years of service as a crossing guard on Wednesday Dec. 3, 2025. (Submitted by Joy Durley)Durley said she initially took the job as a way to pay her bills after her husband died, but now it’s become engrained as part of her life. She now credits the role with keeping her active.“That’s what keeps me going,” she said.LISTEN | Rose Durley speaks with Ottawa Morning ahead of the ceremony:Ottawa Morning6:29Cornwall crossing guard celebrates 50 years on the jobFor half a century, Rose Durley has worked as a crossing guard at the corner of Sydney and Third streets. We reached her just after her morning shift to hear more.’They all know me’Being on the corner so regularly also keeps Durley engaged with her neighbours and local community. She said she helps children from seven schools cross and, while she may not know their names, they seem to know hers. “They all know me,” she said. “They always stop and talk to me and it’s great.”The only time Durley’s service was halted was “many moons ago,” she said, when she was treated for an aneurysm.“They had to ship me up from Cornville up to Ottawa for that,” Durley said. “[I] recovered and made it back to the corner.”And she’s planning to keep doing it for a while yet.“Maybe another year,” she said. “I don’t want to retire and sit in the house and grow old.”With files from CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning
Cornwall honours crossing guard for 50 years of service
