As a person living with cerebral palsy, the concern of accessibility is always on my mind. I take the time to map out my routes and watch the weather, hoping that I will be able to take a bus and make that commitment I planned weeks ago. When winter arrives, I brace myself. It still fills me with apprehension remembering the state of Halifax in the winter of 2014, when I could barely make it out of my front door.
I had an easy start to January. Fortunately, I only had to walk short distances to attend meetings and catch my bus. Then came the first significant snowfall of 2018. It doesn’t take much for me to fall due to my compromised balance, and because Access-a-Bus has not been successful for me in the past, I had to arrange for cabs to take me only a couple of minutes down the street. At apartment buildings like mine, snow-clearing jobs are often left half done. Venturing out even in the late morning can prove to be tricky.
Some of us with disabilities struggle to navigate our way through snow banks on curb cuts, and random patches of ice and slush that remain scattered over paths leading out of our apartment buildings or homes. This is not a concern limited to persons with disabilities, however. In many ways, it affects all citizens within the HRM. It may be easier for those without disabilities to get out and about, but I have had friends and colleagues explain to me how they must awkwardly climb over snow banks, or that they have come close to slipping and falling while out for a walk. If able-bodied individuals are experiencing difficulty going about their regular activities, imagine what that means when you are a wheelchair user, rely on mobility devices to get around or cope with chronic pain. The anxiety one experiences over the threat of serious injury becomes a constant, and resigning to isolation can be the only option.
Can anyone blame us for feeling a certain level of frustration?
According to HRM’s winter operations service, certain protocols must be adhered to following a snowfall. After 10 centimetres, pavement in residential areas should be cleared within a period of six hours after the snow has accumulated. I experience an irritation with these timelines, especially late afternoon the next day when sidewalk conditions are often relatively the same as when I left my place in the morning.
In the meantime, I’m embracing the unexpected warm days this winter, when I can finally take that walk and clear my mind. I’m grateful for each bus route I make and the opportunity to see familiar faces and engage in the work and activities I enjoy. They are something I can look forward to while I wait, hoping to be able to go outside, paths clear for me to go about my day.
Opinionated is a rotating column by Halifax writers featured regularly in The Coast. The views published are those of the author.
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This article appears in Feb 1-7, 2018.
You may thank Linda Mosher. Now, why Halifax wishes to kill you and all the little old men and ladies with their crazy asshat snow clearing scheme is beyond me, but they clearly hate you all.
Does The Coast realize here in Canada it will get cold here, ice and snow are common this time of year? Yes as Canadians we deal with this every year and it just living in Canada.
Well then, I think you should write a strongly worded letter to Mother Nature and ask her to stop with the cycle of snow, rain then fast freeze. Maybe you can take winter to the human rights tribunal and have them rule that it’s not being fair to people with disabilities. You do realize that you are disabled, right? And that winter is no picnic for people with no disabilities? I think the idea that sidewalks should look like they do in July, in winter, is a ridiculous expectation, and if that’s what you want, Vancouver is only a plane ticket away.
You’re right Charles and Furious. Why do we even clear the roads and sidewalks at all? Don’t people know this is Canada and they should have chains on their tires and wear snow shoes for 4-5 months out of the year! Geez what a waste of money these public services are that our taxes pay for!
Only in Nova Scotia is snow clearing left to an unmotivated workforce of half-assed labourers. In many other snowy cities property owners are held responsible for clearing their walks. If they do t, theyre fined. Simple. Those that are physically incapable are enrolled I government programs that assist them with having their sidewalk cleared. This system not only generates revenue, from fines, but it keeps public sidewalks clear for everyone; within a reasonable time after a snowfall.
obviously none of the commentators here require a wheelchair to get around or they would realize when it snows you are now housebound as you can go nowhere. the stare of sidewalks are caused by piss poor use of the equipment and rushing to get a half ass job done..take the time ti di it right and ensure the joining of sidewalk to roadway is also cleared
It doesn’t matter whether anyone needs a wheelchair or anything else to get around, anything short of geothermal heated sidewalks will be a fail. “Taking your time and doing it right” means nothing and is completely useless as a viable solution, it’s just what people who have no idea what they’re talking about offer when they want to sound like they know what they’re talking about. Like you have some secret that the people doing the work don’t have. Nothing but armchair quarterbacking and adds nothing to the conversation, like the contractors didn’t think of “doing it right”. Lol, all the whining and acting all progressive won’t change the fact that snow and ice removal is difficult shit, and if we haven’t figured it out by now, I highly.doubt that we’re going to figure it out with the remaining part of winter.
Lol, like me not being in a wheelchair makes any difference to the reality to a changing Canadian climate where drastic temperature swings are becoming more frequent.