Go back about 60 or 70 years and the total length of sidewalks in communities like ours, on the outskirts of Metro Vancouver, were pretty minimal. Bus service was even more bare-bones. There were crosswalks in the compact downtown areas, and near elementary schools, and that was about it.
Things have changed pretty dramatically, and the pace of that change is accelerating.
What were once outer suburbs of Vancouver are now criss-crossed with hundreds of kilometres of sidewalks, bike lanes, and shared pathways. There are hundreds of crosswalks and bus stops, and thousands of people rely on them.
We're also an aging society, and one that tries to better accommodate the needs of people with disabilities.
Yet a simple snowfall of a few inches can make our communities largely inaccessible to anyone who doesn't have a car.
Even for the able-bodied, trekking a couple of blocks along a snow-covered sidewalk is no picnic. If you've done that during the recent snowfall, you know trudging through five or six inches of snow can be exhausting. For someone using a walker, wheelchair, mobility scooter, or for a parent with a stroller, it's basically impossible.
Local governments are responsible for clearing roads, which is a big enough task. For sidewalks, we largely rely on homeowners and business operators.
In some jurisdictions, that is slowly changing, with local authorities taking responsibility for clearing key sections of sidewalks, or areas around major bus stops. That is a good move, and one that will have to increase.
The other side of the coin is that home- and business owners should take their snow-removal responsibilities seriously. If snow isn't cleared in front of one shop, it can make an entire block off-limits to many people.
Proper snow clearing means making sure crosswalks and the ramps leading to them are fully cleared of snow and ice. It means making sure the area around bus stops are properly cleared. It means ensuring that the area cleared on a sidewalk is wide enough 鈥� a single shovel-width isn't sufficient for wheelchairs or walkers to navigate.
We're an increasingly pedestrian society, a more transit-dependent society, and an aging society. All those things mean that when winter weather hits, clearing snow and ice just from roads isn't enough to allow the free movement of all our citizens.
