EDITORIAL – Before complaining about snow removal, let’s look at ourselves
(Image: CFJC Today)
An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.
PERIODS OF SNOW are in the forecast for tomorrow and a couple of days after that so I guess the plows will be out again.
After the big dump last week I got an email asking me to write about the terrible driving conditions around the entrance to Royal Inland Hospital.
“The City of Kamloops should be ashamed of itself,” it said, “for the lack of snow removal and maintenance on our lifeline road.”
Certainly, conditions around the hospital were bad, as shown by videos on social media of vehicles sliding all over the place. Civic operations director Jenn Fretz, though, had nothing but praise for snow-removal crews.
It was, she said, “a great response,” especially considering a number of snow plow drivers were new and had to learn on the go how high to set their blades and such. Still, nothing’s perfect.
But residents aren’t without blame, either, and I have a few suggestions. Number one is obvious — believe it or not, some people waited for it to snow before putting on their snow tires.
Secondly, stay away from First Avenue during and after a snowfall. Watching cars and trucks ski backwards down that steep grade is entertaining but should be avoided.
The same could be said for Columbia Street, though that’s a tough one to stay clear of if you live or work in Sahali or Aberdeen.
And here’s one that happens every single winter and nobody ever gets the picture on. I’m talking about the yard tractor warriors who insist on pushing snow from their driveways across the traveled road to the other side, leaving ridges of snow bumps.
People, please. It’s dangerous for anyone who comes along on the street, which is probably why it’s illegal. The law is never enforced, but put on your conscientious citizen hat and think of others for a change.
Enjoy the next round of snow, and be careful out there.
I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.
Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
After reading this, I looked at myself in the mirror for about 20 minutes. I asked myself, what can I do about this?
I decided that 2024 is going to be the year of no enforcement and no consequence. I am choosing not to shovel my section of sidewalk. The reason? Because I can’t be bothered and don’t want to.
I too want to be able to do whatever I want, whenever I want, even if it may harm others or degrade the community at large. There is currently and irreparable harm to myself if I have to go out and shovel snow. You could say that I’m addicted to not shovelling snow.
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Let’s talk about sidewalks downtown.
Residents and merchants are to clear their own. Please do it or hire someone. The city needs to enforce this.
The city snow removal also need to keep the street corner and alley way sidewalk areas clear.
It is very hard to for people with walkers and scooters to negotiate these areas. These people are not out for a stroll. They are going to medical
Appointments, to pick up medications or get groceries.
The other issue is public loading zones. Like the library- they need to be cleared and not left with large windows.
So glad rivers trail was cleared last week. Hmmm Priorities.
PS These issues have been raised at city meetings many, many, many times
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Year 2024…after very many years of preparation the CoK still has very many issues unresolved when it comes to snow removal including training and preparing drivers ahead of time, setting plows’ blades at just the right height and spreading sand on slippery road surfaces.
But for sure everyone should at least keep their portions of the public sidewalks clean. And if they don’t send the CAOs in to assure compliance.
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