Click and ... not fix?
Sidewalk clearing the number-one complaint through city app but snow-removal bylaw doesn't cover most neighbourhoods
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Ignoring snow piling up on sidewalks outside most homes and businesses in the city is perfectly legal, despite sidewalk-clearing being the most common complaint through the city's 'Click and Fix YK' program.
The mobile app allows residents to send cellphone pictures of things like overflowing garbage bins, potholes, broken parking meters and uncleared sidewalks, directly to the powers-that-be at the city.
But what the 113 complainants of uncleared sidewalks may be surprised to know, is the bylaw that forces some businesses and residents to clear in front of their respective places, does not govern the whole city.
The city's snow-clearing bylaw states that if you have a property next to a sidewalk in the Central Business District, which is essentially downtown, or on Franklin Avenue between Matonabee Street and 57th Street, you must take all reasonable measures to clear away all snow and ice from the sidewalk within 24 hours of the time the snow or ice accumulated. You must also sand or salt as necessary to make the sidewalk safe and take any other reasonable measures to ensure the safety of pedestrians using the sidewalk, according to the bylaw.
Dennis Marchiori, the city's public safety director, said when the bylaw was enacted some years ago, it was decided that it would to too difficult to enforce across the entire city.
"If we did it city-wide and people weren't clearing, we'd have to go out and actually enforce the bylaw. So we would clear it and bill back to the homeowner," Marchiori said. He pointed out the city's goal is to keep the sidewalks clear for people who work, shop and live downtown as well as for seniors who walk downtown from either Avens or the Mary Murphy seniors' home on 52 St. Marchiori said people who are physically unable to shovel snow can be referred to the Snow Angel program and volunteers will do it for them. He also pointed out the city clears the sidewalks from the fire hall toward Avens as well as the Frame Lake Trail.
City councillor Shauna Morgan said council is looking at a proposal that would see busy pedestrian and bicycling routes leading into and out of the downtown core cleared of snow.
"What I had raised before Christmas was how can we make it easier for people to walk or cycle to work in the wintertime? There are a few key corridors that are used by some in wintertime. There is definitely not consensus on if (clearing those routes) would be a good idea," Morgan said.
The proposal does not address forcing all property owners in the city to clear snow from their sidewalks, said Morgan, adding it is just a proposal at this time and there is currently no motion for council to vote on.
The fine for not clearing the sidewalk in the designated area is $50 and $100 for homeowners and $100 for businesses. If you shovel snow out onto the roadway, regardless of where you live or work in the city, the fine is also $50 and $100 respectively.
Despite having been in place since December 2014, the city has done no evaluation of the success of the click-and-fix app, which can be downloaded for free from the city's website.
According to Jeff Dalley, director of corporate services, it costs $10,000 a year to run the program. He stated in an e-mail there have been 596 downloads of the app since the program began. So far, according to Dalley, 485 issues have been reported - all but 20 of which had been resolved as of Feb. 11. It couldn't be determined by press time what this means for the sidewalks that don't have to be cleared.
According to the city's website, the problems received through the app are forwarded to the appropriate department. Click and Fix YK will then send e-mails back to the resident on the status of their issue.
