Winter Walking and Cycling

[Pheidippides]

It sounds like all of the complaints are starting to get through to city officials: https://www.kitchenerpost.ca/news-story/...priority-/

Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said the city needs to do better.

“If we’re encouraging more people to walk, if we’re encouraging more people to rely on transit, if we're wanting to make our community more accessible … this is something we need to do a better job on — and when I say we, I mean the city in some cases and the region in others.”

Vrbanovic wondered if local governments should study the number of people with accessibility challenges and perhaps provide a higher level of public transit during the winter months instead.

Several other councillors also expressed a desire to move toward change.

“For this being one of the first years I’ve had to walk my kids to a bus stop with a stroller … I’ve learned some of the challenges first hand,” Galloway-Sealock said. “I’ve had to go on road and everything because the curb cuts aren’t plowed and many different things.”

She’s also hearing a lot more public support for municipal sidewalk clearing.

“I think it is something we need to seriously consider.”

Councillor Galloway-Sealock's comment is reflective of some of the opinions here too - across many topics.

It seems that a few people have trouble putting themselves in others' shoes or seeing things from another perspective or even seeing the broader, collective benefit for society as a whole. Or even seeing the benefit for themselves, after all we are all pedestrians at some point in our journeys. As a result too many people think the status quo is passable.

It's as if for some people, if it hasn't happened to them personally, it isn't even in the realm of possibility. Or, even with an experience, if something isn't a problem for them, it can't possibly be a problem for others.

To paraphrase the old adage, "we are only as strong as our weakest link":
We are only as accessible as our iciest/snowiest sidewalk.
We are only as accessible as our highest curb.

There is a tidal wave of older adults crossing over in to senior adults who probably don't even know how much they will appreciate this service.


I am glad that the message seems to be getting through, but this statement is a bit disheartening:
"Fletcher said she anticipates bringing back a more comprehensive report in June that will incorporate new provincial maintenance standards expected out in the first quarter of this year."

It is already too late to do anything for winter 2017-2018 and winter 2018-2019 (because budget 2018 hasn't allocated any dollars for new capital (e.g. sidewalk plows) or extra programming (e.g. enhanced plowing of selected areas using existing equipment).

Now we are going to get another report, this one in June, which might, just, maybe be enough time to put a proposal in for the budget 2019 (but of course no one is thinking about snow in June).

The 2019 budget would then have the possibility allocating for new equipment / new programming which might arrive in time for a pilot in winter 2019-2020 at the earliest, and if all goes well a full roll out in winter of 2020-2021.

I guess hoping for a more decisive and visionary council in an election year is a bit too much to ask. They could at least start with a phased program either focusing on the core and working out or maybe starting with just the arterials and bus routes.

Baby steps I guess!