To the editor,
I am a pretty laid back guy when it comes to the winter. I know it comes in waves we have good days and bad days and it’s always here six months or more (We hope for less).
This year has been a very taxing year on us all with the constant snow squalls and beat down that Mother Nature continues to throw at us.
To date I've gone through three snowblower belts and I’ve lost count how many sheer pins at this point just attempting to keep up with the onslaught of snow and with it helping out my elderly neighbours as this has been extremely hard on them due to the sheer amount and size of the banks.
One of the things I love about the Sault is the community support I often see around the city.
I write to you today with a defeated soul and dumbfounded look about my face when I get up this morning to see what the City of Sault Ste. Marie “Snow Squad” has done to my neighbourhood.
I have attached photos for reference and as you can see the city chose to scrape down the entire street way beyond what is required or necessary. I ask what did this accomplish?
We have struggled with snow all season and most of the city has nowhere else to put it and they woke up and said “guess what, I think tonight is a great night for placing four feet by two feet wide ice dams at the end of your driveways”!
I would like to know how this is acceptable. I can tell you NO snowblower is doing that job! I’m a young able bodied fella, however I have elderly neighbours who stood no chance of being able to tackle this.
Neighbours who have nurses and PSWs coming early to take care of them, how can they safely get into the driveway and or the house to take care of these folks?
There must be a better way! There must be an answer from the city constituents on how they think this is an acceptable option given the timing and winter we’ve had.
This not only puts people behind schedule for work or appointments because you cannot drive through it but also puts people in danger who have no way of clearing this themselves.
Michael Paul
Frustrated taxpayer from the West End, Sault Ste. Marie