No way you can go for a walk

Jess McDiarmid
Northern News Services
Updated Monday, January 28, 2008

YELLOWKNIFE - A group of parents who are having difficulty manoeuvring baby strollers over snow-covered sidewalks are calling on the city to do a better job keeping them cleared.

"There is no way you can go for a walk in Yellowknife the day after, or even two days after, it snows," read a letter to the editor signed off by seven parents.

"This is the plight for any parent in this city who chooses to try and walk, not only when it snows but on most days. The sidewalks are a mess, most of the intersections have snow piled up at the curbs and where things are plowed there is a layer of ice."

Gary Tait, who wrote the letter along with his wife Keri-lyn McLeod, said they were moved to act about two weeks ago after going for a walk after a heavy snowfall.

"I was pushing a stroller through drifted snow," said Tait. "The snow had gotten so deep I actually had to turn my stroller around and pull it backwards through the snow drifts."

McLeod said she's frustrated that governments are encouraging people to be active in the winter but there are times it's impossible to walk with a stroller or ride a bicycle.

In the letter, parents also noted the difficulties faced by seniors and those with limited mobility, such as people with disabilities.

Last month, the Yellowknife Seniors Society presented a petition with 123 signatures to council asking the city to more strictly enforce the bylaw requiring downtown property owners to clear sidewalks adjoining their land.

Outside the downtown area covered by the bylaw, which runs between Mildred Hall and the Baker Centre on Franklin Avenue, the city clears sidewalks around its facilities, such as the Yellowknife Community Arena, but residents aren't required to.

Tait said he'd like clearing sidewalks to be mandatory for residents citywide and that would encourage alternative transportation, one of the city's aims in keeping with its Community Energy Plan that looks to reduce emissions.

"We're a winter city so it shouldn't have to happen," said Tait.

Greg Kehoe, director of Public Works, said the city gets to sidewalks surrounding its facilities as quickly as possible but roads have first priority after a heavy snowfall.

The city clears roughly six kilometres of sidewalks.

But at least one councillor wants that to change. Paul Falvo said he thinks the sidewalk situation is getting worse and has to be addressed.

"I've been hearing a lot of complaints and some of them are my own," said Falvo.

He's planning to push for a "carrot and stick" approach, including a citizen's award program where those who are diligent about cleaning their sidewalks would get some sort of award.

"But I don't think that's going to solve snow removal in Yellowknife," said Falvo.

He said either the city should clear all the sidewalks in the municipality or property owners outside the downtown core should also be required to clear them.

He said he'd like more public input but will be pushing one of those options come next budget season.

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