Walking in Waterloo Region

[danbrotherston]

It’s definitely pretty poor. You’re right that the worst part is that the clock doesn’t start until the snow stops falling, and resets if it starts again. I remember a number of occasions in which enforcement would effectively be on pause for a two week period, since snow (even if small amounts) fell intermittently during that time.

That having been said, I do think it’s important to lodge complaints, so the municipality knows that people are being inconvenienced. The modest changes to the City of Kitchener’s enforcement practices last year, supposedly as a result of increasing complaints, really did have an impact. I don’t see a wholesale rethink of the way sidewalks are (not) cleared, unless the municipalities hear often that it’s just not working.

Indeed.  Worse, there are so many complaints, bylaw usually won't follow up for a week, so a week spread out by 2-3 snows could be 2-3 weeks.  This is why enforcement is a completely useless policy, and it really pisses me off that councillors won't admit this, I've had them say with a straight face to me that enforcement works.

That being said, I entirely agree, I call and complain about every sidewalk I pass, usually while walking, the time I spend on hold I usually get 3-5 to complain about.  It's getting to the point where the corporate call centre people in Kitchener know me.