It’s been one year since the City of Regina enacted the sidewalk snow removal bylaw, but not everyone has been following it. The lack of compliance impacts those who rely on cleared walkways, particularly those with disabilities.
“There’s a lot of people who don’t understand the necessity of shoveling their sidewalks,” said Ashley Nemeth. “We all need to work together.”
Nemeth was born with albinism which means she lacks pigments in her eyes, skin and hair. The condition also affects her eyesight.
“I am totally blind, so I don’t have any vision at all. I don’t have any perception or shadow perception,” she said. “I work full-time so getting around has been interesting.”
Nemeth had a guide dog, Danson, for four and a half years. Typically, a dog would work until they’re about nine years old. Nemeth and the trainer had to make the difficult decision to retire Danson.
“He’s very, very happy living with the family here in Regina,” she said. “It’s really hard. When I have a dog, I don’t feel disabled (but) when I have a white cane, I do.”
Nemeth has completed the application process to get another dog but says there is a backlog – she could be waiting anywhere from six months to a year.
Until then, she has to depend on a walking cane. Nemeth uses public transportation to get to work and to her appointments. It’s a difficult task, especially when sidewalks are not shoveled.
“I wish that people understood what it (is) like to live as someone who is blind,” she said. “I wish people would just shovel their sidewalk.”
Although the City of Regina released its residential road snowplow plan last week, there was no mention of sidewalk clearing.
With the snow removal on sidewalks bylaw, properties located within Schedule B have 24 hours from the end of the snowfall event or after the snow has been deposited to remove any snow or ice.
Any properties outside of Schedule B, which is essentially the rest of the city, have 48 hours to clear the sidewalks.
The bylaw enforcement manager Andrea McNeil-Wilson said the City has seen a compliance rate of 86.6 per cent for residents shoveling their sidewalks since the bylaw came into effect. But there’s still a gap of those who are not complying with the bylaw.
Nemeth believes people would be more inclined to clear their sidewalk if they walked a mile in her shoes.
“When (you’re) living with a disability, you are forced to look at the bigger picture,” she said, “hoping that people will help make my world more accessible.”
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