Working Centre to offer sidewalk snow clearing assistance this winter

A sidewalk snow clearing program will be available this winter for eligible seniors and people with disabilitiesthanks to a partnership between the Working Centre and the City of Kitchener.

The partnership comes after city council approved a handfulof sidewalk snow maintenancerecommendations in June.

• Kitchener puts off winter sidewalk clearing review
• Winter sidewalk clearing system 'fails' in Kitchener, says TriTAG report

"It's to help eliminate barriers for some residents, including those who aren't able to afford private snow clearing services," Aaron McCrimmon-Jones, transportation planning project manager for the city told CBCKitchener-Waterloo.

The Working Centrewill provide the peopleto clearsidewalks for50 eligible properties free of charge,McCrimmon-Jonesadds.

How it works

The city has been receiving applications to access the program since they opened an early registration window at the beginning of October.

Those eligible must beover 65 orhave a disability that prevents them from clearingsnow from their home's sidewalks.

The individual also must be someone who can'tafford to pay for private snow removal, and doesn't have anyone living with them who can help clear the snow.

The city will also berolling out a related, proactive bylaw enforcement programwhere four officers will be looking for properties that have not cleared their sidewalk snow within 24 hours of a snowfall.

McCrimmon-Jones said 30 properties will be pickedfrom the early registration. Staff areleaving theremaining 20 spotsopen in case officers enforcing the new bylawidentify homes in need.

"Our officers might find people who need help," he said.

Staff hopeto collect data from the program to present to council in the spring to evaluate whether to continue the program next winter.

McCrimmon-Jonesalso said the City of Kitchener this winter is also offering grants for 10 neighbourhood-shared snow blowers.