Calls for improved sidewalk clearing after spring snow storm

Winnipeg -

Some Winnipeg sidewalks remain nearly impassable a week after a massive spring storm brought a heap of snow to southern Manitoba.

While wet sidewalks can be expected in spring, some say the conditions this year - one of the snowiest on record - have been a barrier to pedestrians and people who live with mobility challenges.

For David Gebhardt, who uses a mobility scooter after a double hip replacement, getting around dry streets downtown is no problem. Travelling downtown from his home in the city’s North End is where the difficulty lies.

“In certain places, it’s okay and in other places you just don’t even want to attempt trying to drive down the sidewalk,” Gebhardt said.

That’s because in some areas of the city, sidewalks remain slush-covered or flooded from melting snow piled up from the street, leaving them nearly impassable in spots.

“So anybody with a scooter doesn’t go out,” Gebhardt said. “Me, I’m the only daring one.”

It’s downright treacherous in some cases.

Randy Penner, who was out for a walk on Wellington Crescent and Cockburn Street North Thursday, slipped while navigating a slushy section of sidewalk.

“Obviously this one here doesn’t get the love and attention it could,” Penner said. “And I’m surprised at this one because this is kind of more of a priority sidewalk, right?”

It’s listed as a priority one sidewalk that should be cleared within 36 hours of an average storm, but many people either waded through or walked around portions of slush, depending on their footwear.

“I can’t get over that,” said Shirley Lee, pointing at the flooded sidewalk. “It just seems to be too much.”

Leaving some questioning whether more could’ve been done to clear walkways faster after last week’s massive spring snow storm, by clearing away snow sooner in high traffic or problematic areas.

“You often see people choosing to walk on the road instead of on the sidewalk because it’s not cleared or the puddles are quite deep,” said Nolan Smith. “Especially if there are cracked areas on the sidewalk where it might be difficult for people in a wheelchair, or things like that - those would be the things to explore.”

The city said in a statement a full sidewalk plow was done in the days following the storm in accordance with its snow clearing policy, adding crews clear sidewalks to a level and packed surface, not necessarily down to the concrete, which can create wet and slushy conditions when it melts.

While some snowy sidewalks are now clear or have melted, residents said many others are still in need of some work to help make it easier for people to get around.

“The sidewalks I’ve noticed on some of the residential zones, you couldn’t really go down any of the sidewalk because there was just too much snow,” Gebhardt said.

City councillors Cindy Gilroy and Sherri Rollins have already called for some busy residential sidewalks to be given a higher priority for snow clearing.

The city is in the process of reviewing its snow and ice policy.

A report from the public works department to the finance committee Thursday is seeking council approval to overspend on snow clearing by more than $34 million this year, which would leave the city with a budget of about $18.5 million for the remainder of 2022.

That’s due to the significant snowfall the city has received this winter. But the report suggests snow removal services and ice control services provided so far have been delivered to the levels identified by city policies.