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Good: the property owner for shoveling so quick at this key intersection in the Beltline at 4th & 17th.
Bad: this stupid random light pole in the middle of the sidewalk, installed in the 2010s that will for decades prevent efficient pedestrian and snow clearing operations. #yyc
Bad: this stupid random light pole in the middle of the sidewalk, installed in the 2010s that will for decades prevent efficient pedestrian and snow clearing operations. #yyc
Imagine if all sidewalks in Calgary's inner city were exactly the same width as the shovel of a standard snow plow/brush.
One person could plow kilometres of sidewalk in about 1/10th the time, 1/5th the cost & with 10x the consistency and quality.
One person could plow kilometres of sidewalk in about 1/10th the time, 1/5th the cost & with 10x the consistency and quality.
Instead we divide up sidewalk snow-plowing to be responsible for the property owner. The results are predictable:
1. Each block has 10 or 20 different companies or individuals plowing a small section. Huge cost/duplication issues.
2. No quality/consistency.
1. Each block has 10 or 20 different companies or individuals plowing a small section. Huge cost/duplication issues.
2. No quality/consistency.
Calgary's snowplowing budget in 2020: $40M (~$80/household)
Montreal's snowplowing budget in 2020: $166M (~$120/household)
Great deal for us right? ....
Montreal's snowplowing budget in 2020: $166M (~$120/household)
Great deal for us right? ....
Wrong. Montreal plows all roads and all sidewalks - Calgary only does the roads, and even then only the major ones. Montreal removes most snow full from the streets and sidewalk as well, preventing some of the windrows common on street corners in Calgary.
And most importantly - the cost to property owners that are responsible for sidewalk snow clearing is *not free*.
It's imaginary savings by forcing property owners to do their own sidewalks in either time or money. With no opportunity to save money through coordination.
It's imaginary savings by forcing property owners to do their own sidewalks in either time or money. With no opportunity to save money through coordination.
My apartment building has 12 units and pays a contractor $1,200 / year for snow removal. $100 / unit. There are 10 buildings on our block with similar costs.
So my snow removal costs - with some shoddy quick math - are about ~$180 / year, 50% more than Montreal.
More importantly, we get worse sidewalks for more money - inconsistently shovelled, random quality.
It’s a stupidly inefficienct way to do snow clearing.
More importantly, we get worse sidewalks for more money - inconsistently shovelled, random quality.
It’s a stupidly inefficienct way to do snow clearing.
What to do? Raise taxes & have city do it cheaper per person. Short of that:
1. Form block union for one contract for whole block for all property owners.
2. Have strong standard sidewalk width legislation. A block of 2m sidewalk would take about 45 secs to clear with a 2m plow
1. Form block union for one contract for whole block for all property owners.
2. Have strong standard sidewalk width legislation. A block of 2m sidewalk would take about 45 secs to clear with a 2m plow
We don’t ask property owners to clear their roads in front of their building. Why not?
Because it would be insanely inefficient and costly to do it individually.
If we won’t accept this bad outcome for roads, why do we accept it for sidewalks?
/endrant /happyholidays
Because it would be insanely inefficient and costly to do it individually.
If we won’t accept this bad outcome for roads, why do we accept it for sidewalks?
/endrant /happyholidays
