The municipality is reminding all residents that it is the collective’s responsibility to ensure that Chatham-Kent’s 410 km of sidewalks stay safe during the winter.
Since Monday night Chatham-Kent saw heavy snowfall to the point where school buses had to be cancelled. With more than eight centimetres of snow on the ground the municipality will be plowing the sidewalks. However, as per municipal bylaw, it is the responsibility of residents to de-ice.
“Slippery sidewalks can result in injuries. We want to ensure that sidewalks adjacent to properties are kept free of ice and snow accumulations, and we encourage you to offer assistance to any neighbours that might be in need,” Ryan Brown, director of Public Works, stated in a press release.
Property owners within designated downtown business areas are exempt. A map of the downtown business areas maintained by the municipality can be found on its website.
Failure to maintain a sidewalk free of ice may result in a fine to the property owner. Residents are encouraged to report unsafe sidewalk conditions to 3-1-1 or ck311@chatham-kent.ca.
The municipality is also reminding property owners that clearing large amounts of snow from their private property onto the street is prohibited.
