I am writing to encourage you to vote to eliminate the residential sidewalk plowing program. It is time for this program to go.
Home ownership is a responsibility. As a home owner you are responsible to maintain your property. The city does not cut your grass, pickup garbage on your property, remove dead trees or pick up after your dog, yet there are bylaws that govern the appearance of your property. Grass cutting takes far more time in the growing season than shovelling your sidewalk after the occasional snow fall and people find the time to do this.
Also, in today’s society, many people own snow-blowers where there was a time when far less people owned such machines. And why do they own these? To remove the snow from their driveway and the mouth of their driveway. Neither area is cleared by the city and they find the time to do this. If your driveway and walkway are not cleared, you are civilly liable if someone were to fall and injure themselves and Canada Post will not deliver your mail to your door if the carrier feels it is unsafe for them to do so. I don’t see how expecting people to clear the snow from the sidewalk in front of their house is adding an incredible burden or responsibility and I think you will find bylaw enforcement minimal. I personally find manually shovelling an opportunity to get outside and get a bit of exercise and shouldn’t that be something the city should promote? I also find it frustrating when the sidewalk plow drives down my freshly shovelled sidewalk and knocks snow back onto the sidewalk and packs it down under it’s wheels because it is too wide for the sidewalk in my neighbourhood.
The city should provide real services that can only be provided by the city such as affordable public transportation, snow removal from roadways, parks and recreation facilities etc. Sidewalk snow plowing is not a service required by the city. JB