Watch above: He’s been clearing snow from city sidewalks for over 30 years with no thanks, but when Ron Peacock decided to clear the snow from the street in front of his Saskatoon house, the city slapped him with a warning.
SASKATOON – Ron Peacock has been shoveling almost every sidewalk near his house on Davies Road for 30 years. Every time it snows, he spends several hours clearing snow, using his snowblower to clear numerous properties, including city-owned sidewalks, and a path on city property.
He says he’s never asked for appreciation or recognition. But when he received a warning in the mail recently for clearing the snow on the street in front of his house, he was livid.
“They can take their complaint and shove it. Because it’s just not right,” Peacock said.
The city warned him and several others on his street who had snow piled up on the street. City inspectors deemed the piles to be a hazard to children because they were too high and too steep.
“I remember doing this as a kid, you climb up on them and then it’s an easy slide right into oncoming traffic. There’s no shoulder left on the road, so you’re right away into oncoming traffic. Easy to slip off,” said Andrew Hildebrant, director of community standards for the City of Saskatoon.
Hildebrandt says no one has ever been fined in relation to this issue, and he adds that it is complaint driven. Meaning, the city does not police the snow clearing of its residents.
Instead, the city only sends inspectors to investigate when a complaint is filed. If the situation gets worse, the city will send a crew to clear the snow pile, and bill the resident for the work.
READ MORE: Saskatoon to start fining property owners who don’t clear sidewalks
For now, so long as the pile in front of Peacock’s house doesn’t get any higher, he’s in the clear. Still, he says the city isn’t doing its part.
“A grader hasn’t come by at all,” Peacock says.
He hopes that will change before the city starts telling him what to do.
Watch below: Saskatoon city council has approved bylaw changes, to come in the fall, pertaining to residential and commercial snow removal. A day after the white stuff flew, Wendy Winiewski hits the streets to see what the public response is.
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