Each year when the snow falls, Angeliene Bullick feels like her visits to downtown Orillia are like déjà vu.
“Every winter, it’s the same mess,” said the Orillia senior. “The sidewalk plows do what they can. However, the sidewalks in front of many stores have compacted snow and ice and slush.”
She described it as “a mess and a safety hazard.”
“I don’t understand it. It’s about pride of ownership of the store you’re running,” she said. “If the owners or employees aren’t capable of shovelling, hire someone to do it. I shovel my own snow at home and I’m 70 years old. If you keep on top of it and shovel when it snows, it won’t be a problem.”
Some stretches of sidewalk are cleared downtown while others are barely passable, Bullick said.
She described herself as an “able-bodied senior” but said not everyone is as fortunate.
The issue doesn’t help when it comes to attracting people to the downtown core, she added.
“We want people to come downtown and shop downtown, but when the sidewalks are the way they are, it’s not encouraging people to come downtown,” she said.
Keeping sidewalks clear is a combined effort, said Lisa Thomson-Roop, manager of the Downtown Orillia Management Board (DOMB).
The DOMB has a sidewalk plow that is ready to go seven days a week if needed. Sidewalks are plowed, salted and sanded between 5 and 8:30 a.m., before pedestrian traffic picks up. After that, it’s up to shop owners to ensure the way is clear.
“The merchants are required to maintain that,” Thomson-Roop said.
If they don’t, city bylaw officers could fine them, though warnings are usually given first.
Snow cannot be shovelled onto the street, so snow banks along sidewalks can add up. It’s the city’s responsibility to deal with snow banks, and it does, but workers are also responsible for the rest of the city, Thomson-Roop said.
This season, she has heard from a downtown merchant who has had customers complain about the state of the sidewalks and snow banks. She said the issue comes up mainly during afternoons, when temperatures rise and can lead to a mixture of snow, ice and slush.
In the event of a significant storm that lasts more than a day, “it’s difficult to get the sidewalks in good shape quickly,” she said.
“We’re doing our best, and it’s an effort of both the (DOMB) and merchants,” she added. “The sidewalks downtown are better than other sidewalks in the city because we have dedicated staff to maintain it.”
Anyone who has concerns about uncleared sidewalks can call the DOMB at 705-325-3261.
“We certainly take it seriously and we’re doing our best,” Thomson-Roop said.
