During this time of year we are often encouraged to have peace and goodwill on our minds more than ever.  The Spirit of the Season is that which encourages us to think of others and their needs in the hopes of making the world a better place.  However, with the stress of this season’s activities and the weather which often leaves us scrambling for enough time, it could be easy to forget to take a moment to reflect.

With large snowfalls such as those which just took place in the Hamilton region, and left us with tens of centimetres of snow to manage, we find ourselves in positions where we must work extra hard.  Snow plows are dispatched in every district of the City and are on tight schedules to clear snow from roads in the order of traffic volume requirements.  Additional City workers and contractors remove snow from areas in smaller plowing vehicles.  Due to the large quantity some of these snowfalls produce, City Staff can find themselves backlogged and striving extra hard to ensure everyone in the City is taken care of.

Homeowners are responsible for removing snow from their entire sidewalk frontage.  All together the goal is to have our City running as smoothly as possible in a relatively short period of time.  If people in your neighbourhood are not shovelling their walks please contact the By-law office at 905-546-2782.  We do not have enough By-law officers to patrol every area in the City, so we rely on constituents like you to be our eyes and ears.

That being said, please take a look around your neighbourhood and help any elderly or disabled neighbours remove the snow around their property.  Heavy snowfalls like the last one can often be too much.  We have already had at least one confirmed death in the City caused by an elderly man trying to clear his sidewalk.  While it is their responsibility to have the snow removed, in the Spirit of the Season and in the efforts towards a healthy and sustained Hamilton Community, please consider helping those around you.

Additionally, if you require special assistance clearing your walkways or driveways, please contact the Snow Removal Aid “Helping Hands” at 905-546-3057 or Snow Angels Snow Removal at 905-523-1910.  Similarly, if you have special transportation needs in this kind of weather, don’t hesitate to contact DARTS at 905-529-1212 to see if you are eligible for the service.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Terry Whitehead and everyone at the City of Hamilton!