Snowy sidewalks irk pedestrians, prompting fines

CALGARY- While the city continues to try and clear snow covered roads around Calgary, another problem has emerged: slippery, impassable walkways.

People living in northeast areas like Renfrew and Mayland Heights are complaining that the public sidewalks have not been cleared, and are unusable.

“This needs attention,” says Mayland Heights resident Ken Willis, who uses the 8^th Avenue flyover. “This is hard to walk on. People who push baby carts and that will probably have a very hard time. They might have to pick up the baby and walk the cart.”

He says that in the past, city crews used to shovel the street all the time, but not this year.

“It’s not like it’s a winding twisting path, it’s one way,” he complains. “You could just run a garden tractor.”

The city says the snowfall Calgary has seen in the past month has led to many challenges for the roads department, and those who work outdoors understand the issues first-hand.

“It’s one of the craziest Decembers I’ve seen in a long time,” says Jared Trail from Men in Kilts, adding he thinks road crews should be cut some slack.

“I feel for them, because I am in the snow industry I know how difficult it is. I know how hard it is to manage, especially the type of snowfalls that we have had this year.”

It’s also not the city’s responsibility to clear all sidewalks, and so far hundreds of $166 fines have been handed out to homeowners who aren’t clearing their walkways.

Nearly 4,300 complaints have been made to the city since November, concerning snow removal on sidewalks.

-With files from Carolyn Kury de Castillo