Ç~.:and nnm oral M.. w Residents of Garrard Rd. are upset with the Town of Whitby's sidewalk snow clearing policy. The residents, led by Albert Liebregts and Stan Taylor, say that the policy is "discrirninatory and in- consistent." They noted that recently council exem- pted Bradley Dr.ý and fine other streets from the policy but flot Garrard Rd. whose sidewalks were cleared by the town last winter. "The question 'must be raised why Garrard Rd. was flot included since before last winter its sidewalks had been cleared by the town?"1 they said in a letter to council. Taylor said that last year the town assessed hirn $174 for snow clearing, along bis 175 foot sidewalks flankage. However, the town released him from the obligation after he protested. Liebregt dlaims that the 80-cent, a foot charge the town levies. against these bomeowners who do not clear their sidewalks of snow within 48 hours bas no bearing on the cost. He said that it took the town about 30 seconds to clear the sidewalk near bis borne which he says amounts to about $8 a second. "It (the charge) bas no relation to cost," he said. In the letter, botb men noted that tbe residents did, not want tbe sidewalk in the first place, and in fact, raised a petition to con- vince council it wasn't needed. However, the sidewalk was built a few years later, they said, wben people frorn tbe newly construction sub- divisions in the area cir- culating another petition demanding that the sidewalk be built. "Being a new minority we accepted tbe decision of tbe majority to build sidewalks but, sensibily at shared cost," tbey said, "Naturally, we expected shared cost of maintenance as we did previously." And, now, tbey feel like unpaid employees of tbeir neighbours. perbaps?" Tbey also dispute C oun. Joe Drurnm's dlaim that residents will be beld responsible for any accident that was tbe result of an irn- properly cleaned sidewalks. "lHow can a private citizen be responsible for what bappens on public property?" they. said. "It would be worth investigating whether or not sorne greater law (would) deem that un- constitutional. At tbe very least, it appears unfair, if not immoral." Tbe residents also ad- vocated an improved sidewalk snowclearing service. Tbey said that if regular ernployees. cannot bandle the load, *then ternporary em- ployes sbould be hired to pick-up the slack. Snow constitutes. an emergen- cy situation, so the town's contract witb its outside workers need If tbe town' finds the purchase. of additional Bombardiers too expen- sive, they should'con- sider the purchase of four-foot wide snowblowers at -about $1,000 eacb whicb could be operated.by "1willing part-time belp sourced from the large pool of unemployed available tbese days. ", They also suggest that tbe town set up a priority systern to determine wbich sidewalks will be done first. Liebregts and Taylor also said that part of Garrard Rd.'s sidewalks can be cleared under the present system because one machine already travels along Manning Rd., heads north on Tbickson Rd. and finally eastward along Rossland Rd. "Wbat would it take to continue then soutb- ward along Garrard's sidewalk, whicb it must travel past anyway?"1 .Taylor also says that snow clearing along sidewalks in hîs area is made more difficult by the snowplougbs clearing the road. Tbey filI in already cleared sidewalks when they clear the road. "The town put in tbe sidewalk. We didn't want it," he said, "Then tbey expect us to do tbe cleaning especially af- ter the snowplougbs corne bombing along at 35 rn.p.h.?"' "Ail tbey're doing is using scare tactics as far as I'm concerned,". Taylor added.' Both Taylor and Liebregts say they will appear before the operations committee wben- it decides, to ,review .the, sidewalk ,snow ý-clearing. policy ^arIynext year. Gvarrard Rd. area.... Residents cail sidewalk snow clearing policy disn crmnatory. 1