(01-23-2018, 01:11 PM)robdrimmie Wrote: We have an example in Downtown Kitchener, as well. Many mornings this winter, on my walk to work from the Charles St Terminal to Duke and Wellington, I've passed city workers clearing snow with skid steers, laying out salt, clearing out corners with shovels, etc.
The point where that responsibility is no longer born by the city is notable. Along Duke between Francis and Victoria the sidewalks haven't been completely clear until this week. Even the thaw we had earlier this month didn't completely clear out the completely neglected sidewalks.
The core business association area is extremely accessible as a result, and it's a great example of one high priority area receiving high quality service.
The emphasis on this is that the high-quality service is received by high-priority areas. Lower-priority areas, like the sidewalks adjacent to and the paths crossing within some parkland near my house do not receive such excellent care, sadly. It's not terrible, they're usually done within 36 hours, but it's rare that walking my kid to school in the morning following a snow fall doesn't involve a fair amount of trudging.
Again, how much would it cost to provide the high-quality service to all areas, I wonder. (And why aren't property taxes progressive. Tax me more, dagnabbit. I want to live in a socialist paradise. Our train stations should be palaces of architecture and technology, our schools doubly so. And our sidewalks should bloody well be ploughed. (pardon my grump))