Some Meadow Lake properties may be required to remove snow from sidewalks
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Meadow Lake is one step closer to having a bylaw making it mandatory for some residents to shovel the public sidewalks around their property.
City council approved the first reading of the proposed bylaw Monday night. The new bylaw will make sidewalk snow removal mandatory around designated “school zone collector routes.” In general, school zone collector routes are areas around schools and routes that students use to walk to school.
The proposed bylaw will be back before council for approval at its October 11 meeting. Residents can still provide feedback before October 6. If approved, residents will have 48 hours after a snow event to clear the sidewalks or face a $50 fine for a first offence. The 48-hour time frame starts when the snow stops falling. If the property owner or occupant fails to remove the snow, the city could have it removed and pass the costs on to the property owner or occupant.
City administrators started looking into the change after the 2021 snow season. City staff and council heard from residents there was a concern for the safety of students walking to school through sidewalks full of snow. Much of the concern was because of the significant amount of snowfall that fell in Meadow Lake last winter. Council did discuss extending the new bylaw to include the entire city but felt more engagement was required with residents.
