Editorial — Clearing snow is a team sport

February 8, 2015 · 0 Comments

The Town of Caledon is looking at cracking down on vehicles that are parked on streets during major snowstorms.The Town actually hosted an open house on the matter last week, outlining some of the provisions that are being suggested.
Nothing has been decided yet. Town staff still has to send a report to council and a new bylaw has to be passed. So nothing is likely to happen until spring, meaning the new rules, assuming they’re adopted, will come into force in time for next winter.
They will basically allow for tickets to be assessed on vehicles that block snowplows. Such vehicles are a big problem, Public Works Director David Loveridge stressed. They delay the operation, which puts a burden on people on other streets. They are anxious to have their road plowed, and they aren’t likely to appreciate a plow being delayed because it has to get around a parked car. Such situations can also result in a big pile of snow (known as a windrow) behind left behind after the offending vehicle has been moved.
“Snow removal’s a team sport,” Loveridge declared last week, meaning he appreciates the public and Town crews have jobs to do, as well as obligations.
But it was also clear from his comments that part of the Town’s obligation includes being realistic and showing discretion.
It is reality that in severe snow storms, people sometimes have to park on the street, simply because there’s no place else to put their cars. If it’s a prolonged snowfall, maybe a plow has already been by, leaving the homeowner a windrow to take down before the car can get in the driveway. Such obstructions are reasonable, and Loveridge said the plan is to have crews show discretion before action is taken.
There have been upsetting stories (not necessarily in Caledon) of people trying to get their driveways cleared while some knucklehead driving a plow is leaning on the horn.
If this is a team sport, then the crews have to be able to appreciate certain realities.
And the car owners are part of the team too, and they have obligations. If they park the car while they clear the driveway, that should be fine. If they park and run into the house to relax, figuring they’ll move the car later, that’s not fine.
Massive dumpings of snow are no fun for anyone, but they are a reality in this country.
So are the obligations on everyone.