Snow removal

[Tenspot]

Strange, try this (SRI) http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/03/17/d...the-sidewalks/

[Nostradama]

. . . People here who actually believe the city is going to clear all the sidewalks nice and clean after a snow dump are dreaming in Technicolor. There are just too many miles of them. And often they are full of compacted snow and ice and it takes forever to do it. One practically needs an axe to break through it.

Gee, thanks a lot--but you're missing a lot in life if you don't dream in Technicolour! Visiting my widowed mother in my home town one winter before that "city" brought in sidewalk plows, I have been down on my knees, chipping at ice with a chisel and a hammer on the sidewalks in a block that was completely occupied by elderly retirees. On that block there was only one man (assuming that men might be physically stronger than women), but the guy was in his mid-eighties and he sure couldn't do it. I'll tell you how long it takes to do two sides of an average block: about 3 1/2 days. I did it. And then made arrangements for someone to come in to do it, since my father had only been dead a few months and it was the one thing I hadn't anticipated and taken care of.

All Ages Music Concerts is absolutely correct that there are long, fairly steep stretches of Uplands that are really bad and really dangerous when there's snow. There would be debate about where responsibility lies in that stretch of Uplands and others, if the city isn't responsible. I'm thinking of the area that runs behind Green Thumb Nursery acreage and then undeveloped land, and on the other side large townhouse developments that are separated from Uplands by fences. The (mostly) retirees who live there have their own sidewalks to clear, if they have to; since they're strata, I believe, there may be snow clearance arrangements handled by the strata council. So who's responsible for that area--fenced and gated townhouse developments on one side, the back of a nursery and vacant land on the other? Same thing if you're going south on Uplands in the Rutherford area.

Looking at the bottom line on expenditures of civic and provincial budgets, what's more expensive? Buying and using sidewalk plows or the city facing liability suits from people who've slipped and been injured? Or the medical costs incurred through the BC Medical Plan, for which we all pay, too, for hospitalization and rehabilitation costs for things like broken hips? In a city where retired seniors from all over the western provinces are becoming a major industry and source of income, IMHO it's cheaper to eat the cost of sidewalk plows instead of paying out on liability claims and very expensive medical care. All of those costs come out of our pockets one way or the other.

[Tenspot]

From previous years on this forum http://www.nanaimoinformation.com/fo...9863#post29863

[MDavis]

Looking at the bottom line on expenditures of civic and provincial budgets, what's more expensive? Buying and using sidewalk plows or the city facing liability suits from people who've slipped and been injured? Or the medical costs incurred through the BC Medical Plan, for which we all pay, too, for hospitalization and rehabilitation costs for things like broken hips?

How often does this happen in Nanaimo in winter? Any stats? Or legal cases to cite?

My guess is, winter falling/slipping accidents that cause serious injury are few and far between in this area. Nanaimo is not like Ontario or Manitoba, where the awful icy winter can drag on for 9 months of the year. We get a few serious dumps here per year and then it's over with after the rains come and make things better again. And then it's back to mild, wet rainy conditions.

[MDavis]

Strange, try this (SRI) http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/03/17/d...the-sidewalks/

My response to this is: get out and shovel the damn snow.

Every able-bodied man and woman should do so. And if your neighbour is disabled, a shut-in, under house arrest, or whatever, then do his or her walk too. Everybody pitch in and quit whining about it.

Furthermore, if the Nanaimo city bylaw for snow removal was repealed, you could bet that no snow removal would get done at all. Because the citizens of Nanaimo would finally have an excuse to not shovel any snow. And the city of Nanaimo would not dare spend another cent on snow removal, because it's just too bloody expensive, and people would complain about the additional expense of the cost of snow removal.

So, if this is what you really want, Tenspot, then please come and clear my walk too.

See ya!

[Tenspot]

I read the bylaw and blurb on the City webpage, and there is no longer any mention of fines. Interesting how the blurb has changed.

[BigMac]

You are mean man!!!!!! Love it!!

[yorway]

My response to this is: get out and shovel the damn snow.

Every able-bodied man and woman should do so. And if your neighbour is disabled, a shut-in, under house arrest, or whatever, then do his or her walk too. Everybody pitch in and quit whining about it.

WTG MDavis I will pm you with my address as soon as we have our next big snowfall. See u then.

[All Ages Music Concerts]

Shovelling snow is fun when you want it to be fun. However on the other hand it is a very demanding form of work. For those that have shovelled many a snow days/nights know the the price to pay for lifting this heavy stuff.

I remember so many times of shovelling our driveway and lots of the road spending a good work out and time to accomplish a nice clear area. Then within seconds the snow plow comes down the street and for some reason because you are the only one that leaves a nice bare spot for the ploW; that he DUMPS ALL THE EXCESS SNOW IN FRONT OF YOUR DRIVEWAY AND YOU NOW CAN NOT GET OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY.

MY COMMENTS: What a moron; because he can see you have spent alot of time and energy to help with this inconvinience and he just crushes it in seconds with a smirk on his face.

I don't think this year I will waste the time or energy except within my property lines.

PS: The same thing happens to sidewalks that people volunteer to clear and all for a waste of time with inheriting back aches.!!

So MDavis keep smiling as you keep shovelling it!! LOL

[MDavis]

WTG MDavis I will pm you with my address as soon as we have our next big snowfall. See u then.

So where do you fit in here: Disabled, a shut-in, or under house arrest? Not that it matters. I have like 5 snow shovels and i can help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBBw1MEOMWI