Snow Removal Blog Part 3: When Further Changes Will Happen
In Part 2 of this blog I wrote about the current state of how we manage snow. In this part I will detail when certain changes could take place.
When council approved the new policy last summer, I made the following subsequent motion:
“That Administration provide options to increase the service standard in the Snow and Ice Control Procedure. This report is to include: any equipment, staffing and budget changes required to increase the standard with a greater emphasis on safety, efficiency and connectivity. This report should also include feedback from the Accessibility Advisory Committee, Edmonton Transit Service Advisory Board, the Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council and the Women's Advocacy Voice of Edmonton Committee.”
The report that responds to this motion is scheduled to be presented at the April 25th, 2022 Community and Public Services Committee meeting.
I made this motion because while I believe the new policy is a huge step forward, I was not confident that our current resources would allow us to actually meet the goals we set for ourselves in the policy.
I shared some examples in Part 2 but I’ll provide one more local example here. Using our current resources, there are some parks we don’t clear snow from at all. I’ll use Terra Losa Park as an example. We only clear the perimeter of the park but the trails running through the park will not be cleared of snow all winter long.
I don’t believe that is acceptable. While someone might be able to travel through the park if they aren’t using mobility aids, the park is inaccessible by people in wheelchairs, people using a walker, parents using a stroller, etc.
When this report comes back, this will allow council to get a sense of the cost implications of making the changes listed in Part 2 of this blog. We will then use that information to inform our budget deliberations at the end of 2022.
The reality is that every year presents unique challenges. This winter started with freezing rain and then we got some of the most snow that we received in the last 20 years. We also saw the worst cold snap in 50 years. During the last three years, we never reached enough snow to trigger a neighbourhood blading but we started to see more frequent freeze/thaw cycles. This created more icy conditions and more significant ruts on our local roads.
Since our winter conditions vary every year, the way we respond to snow and ice will look different based each year. While it will look different, there are certain things we can plan for and be ready to respond to. The report this spring will allow us to provide clear direction about any additional resources needed to help elevate our service, no matter the varying conditions, based on clear feedback from the groups referenced above.
Now that you have read through all three parts, do you have any questions on the history of snow removal or suggestions for the proposed changes? What do you want council to consider prior to the meeting in April.
I also want to ask you one very important question: considering the budget hasn’t changed in a long time and we have exhausted the cost-neutral options, are you comfortable with council increasing the budget in a gradual way to start increasing the standard of service (ex: removal of windrows, a greater focus on accessibility for those that cannot drive, etc.)?
Thank you for taking the time to read through this blog series and I look forward to your feedback.
