shovelling

Saturday February 15, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday February 15, 2020

Sidewalk snow clearing debate demands action

Hamilton’s sidewalk snow removal controversy isn’t going away any time soon. In part, that’s because of an aging population who understand at a visceral level that mobility isn’t something to take for granted.

March 11, 2008

Being able to move around freely outside your home isn’t a frill. Whether for people who have age-related mobility issues, need wheelchairs or have babies in strollers, it’s a critical part of living a healthy and independent life. And that lifestyle can make the difference between remaining independent or falling into a cycle of increasing infirmity, which ultimately leads to losing that precious independence.

And this isn’t a only “soft” issue about quality of life. It’s also a bottom line issue. People who lose the ability to live independently require intervention and sometimes supported housing. And we have a huge problem with long-term care capacity.

In short, there is value on many levels in support of investing in measures to help people remain independent. Year round, not just in spring, summer and fall.

But how should that manifest itself? This week city council directed staff to investigate the matter of sidewalk snow removal. We don’t know what they’ll come back with, but from our perspective there are three potential areas worth consideration.

One is the idea of the city taking on snow clearing on all public sidewalks — all 2,445 kilometres of them. The estimated cost of that could reach $5.36 million. It is clearly the most socially progressive option. But is it practical, and would it be effective? City staff say it would cost $15 per household based on the average property value assessment. The average Hamilton homeowner can afford $15 annually. But put that together with an estimated 3.5 per cent tax increase and user fees increasing across the board plus increased taxes driven by property value reassessment, and it’s clear many taxpayers would not support that option. They’d say it’s just another straw on the camel’s back. And many residents of neighbourhoods that don’t even have sidewalks would certainly balk.

What about a partial solution where main thoroughfare sidewalks and those in designated high traffic areas were cleared? More affordable for sure, but there remains the question of how quickly the city (or contractors) could get certain or all sidewalks cleared. If it’s not very quick either of these two scenarios could prove ineffective. In Burlington, sidewalks are cleared within 24 hours, but when there’s significant snow it can take up to 72 hours. In Toronto, main downtown sidewalks get cleared but not neighbourhood sidewalks.

Another partial solution is less complex. Hamilton should toughen up its existing bylaw that penalizes scofflaw homeowners who don’t clear their sidewalks. The current reporting system results in slow and inconsistent service. Beef it up. Ensure there are enough bylaw staff to respond in 24 hours. If snow and ice are not cleared, have contractors do the work and bill the homeowners, and build in a little markup which the city could use to fund other sidewalk snow clearing measures.

Most homeowners and tenants are responsible and do the right thing. We should not hesitate to come down hard on those who do not. They’re jeopardizing public safety and showing disrespect for their neighbours, most of whom look out over clear sidewalks.

Whatever else happens, the city should toughen up on those who refuse to do the right thing. It’s likely that the only people who would not support that are the ones who are part of the problem. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

 

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Thursday, February 5, 2015Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday, February 5, 2015

City struggling to keep the streets clear of snow

Hamilton is pleading with storm-swamped homeowners to stop illegally shovelling snow back onto cleared streets and sidewalks — but some residents say city plows are to blame.

Iraq: January 4, 2003

The city fielded 70 snow-clearing complaints and counting in the 24 hours after Monday’s storm that left residents up to their knees. Many stemmed from snow pushed back onto previously cleared streets, either by commercial contractors or frustrated homeowners.

“It’s a big problem for us, especially where driveways are being cleared onto the roadway,” said winter control manager Bob Paul. He said local street clearing — and in some cases, re-clearing — will continue through Wednesday.

January 31, 2012

City bylaw officers are cracking down on snow dumping “problem areas” like the North End and west lower city, said enforcement manager Kim Coombs, noting residents risk a $105 fine for dumping snow back in the street.

But outraged residents on the east Mountain say the city’s own plows are to blame.

Sarah Nunes was part of a neighbourhood effort to quickly clear all sidewalks along East 35th Street after Monday’s storm. But later that night, snow banks on the street were shoved onto those painstakingly cleared walkways.

March 11, 2008

“We’re talking piles three times higher than our snowblowers and hard as a rock,” she said. “What are we supposed to do about that?”

Ward Councillor Tom Jackson said he visited several streets in his ward that suffered similar treatment, including East 31st, Virginia Court and Seventh Avenue.

“Some operator showed a reckless disregard,” said Jackson, who asked public works to investigate and send city equipment to clean up the mess. “It’s totally unfair, totally an insult to ask residents to deal with that.”

Paul said the city had complaints about a particular operator but added the plowing problem was “corrected” and represented the exception, rather than the rule. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Tuesday March 11, 2008

Sidewalk Shovelling

McHattie is hot on snow removal If you’ve had it up to here with shovelling snow, Councillor Brian McHattie has an easy-on-the-back solution.

The Ward 1 councillor is proposing hiring contractors to clear sidewalks outside people’s homes next winter.

If McHattie gets enough support from his west-end constituents, he’ll ask city council to approve adding the snow removal cost to property owners’ tax bills.

After discussing it with city staff, McHattie estimates it will cost Ward 1 residents $28 to $31 per household for the first year of service.

In the second year of a presumed five-year contract, the cost would fall to around $19 to $22 per year.

It would be more expensive the first year because the private contractor would likely have to buy specialized plows.

The work would be contracted out because the city apparently doesn’t have the resources to take on the job itself.

Right now, McHattie’s proposal is focused only on his own ward.

But he says there’s nothing stopping other councillors looking at the same service for their area. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)