Ryan Lythall
It’s coming. We’ve already had a little sample of it.
I’m talking about that dreaded word . . . snow!
Most, if not all, people with disabilities hate snow. It wreaks havoc on our wheelchairs and other mobility devices. We often have problems using public transportation due to a lack of snow clearing.
I’ve lived in Ottawa my whole life and I can’t remember a single winter when snow clearing hasn’t been an issue.
The City Of Ottawa appears to be in deep denial that we’re in Canada. Winter happens every year and when it hits, especially at the start of the season, people seem shocked by the white stuff falling from the sky.
A example of this is light-rail transit or LRT. I’m sure we all remember the LRT’s many issues last year: frozen switches, snow on the tracks and other problems related to winter. Many of the stations are fully or partially open-air, so there’s not much room for riders to take shelter or stay warm while waiting for the train to show up.
It truly boggles my mind why Ottawa almost always seems to forget about winter.
I sincerely hope that the City of Ottawa doesn’t think there’s less need for proper snow clearing this winter. People still need to be able to get around town. Although we’ve all been impacted by COVID-19, and for many of us our home has now become our office, we still need to go out.
Many people still need to travel to work, including personal support workers, nurses, doctors and paramedics. Others require much-needed medical appointments, for example, cancer treatment, dialysis and trips to the ER. When it comes to people with disabilities, going out, even grocery shopping or seeing friends, can seem like a monumental event during the long, cold winter months.
Nevertheless, we need to try to make the best of winter. To do so, the city needs to make snow clearing a much bigger priority.
Now’s your chance, Ottawa. If you want people to shop locally and rely on curbside deliveries, we need cleared roads and sidewalks to ensure businesses’ and customers’ safety.
The plow’s in your corner, Ottawa.
Find Ryan on Twitter: @rolling_enigma