The wonder of snow is that it can be both concealing and revealing. Concealing is obvious … the ‘revealing’ part is when things are covered, it proves they are not used. Such as the dozen or so vehicles in the parking lot behind city hall; from the heavy coating still observable on Friday before the thaw, it was obvious none had been driven for the entire time we had snow.
So, if these vehicles can be parked for a week, why have them at all? Would it not be more financially beneficial to the taxpayer to have city employees use rentals when they require a car, rather than saddling the city with the yearly costs of purchase, insurance and depreciation?
Certainly there is reason for Abbotsford to have municipal vehicles, but so many that at least a dozen can sit idle for a week or so?
Just a money-saving thought.
Also observed while in the vicinity of city hall was sidewalk cleaning, and that not even one shovelful of effort was made to clear the way into the International Friendship Garden. Does that mean even the city has acknowledged no one ever uses that walled-in ‘park’? Then again, who is going to bother visiting a ‘garden’ under a foot of snow, so maybe I can let that one go.
What I can take issue with is the lack, or perhaps infrequency, of snow clearing on many sidewalks under the responsibility of the city.
I cruised around Mill Lake Park, and while it appeared the walks had been cleared of the first heavy dump of snow, subsequent snowfalls seemed to have been ignored. And the sidewalk bordering Ledgeview Golf Course saw no effort at all. Yet, in my travels about the community, many citizens were diligently scraping every flake of snow off the walks in front of their homes and businesses. There is a bylaw requiring snow clearing, therefore should not the city abide by its own rules?
However, out in the boonies where I live great effort was expended by the snowplow operators. Our roads were cleared quickly and early, and out on the prairies of Sumas and Matsqui, they were busy busting drifts and keeping routes open.
Downtown, on the other hand, was still a bit of mess even by mid-week. When you live outside the urban area, you rather expect things to be a little difficult, and adjust your life and vehicle to meet the conditions. Granted, trying to smash through snowdrifts is beyond the vehicular ability of most, but others are usually a little more prepared to deal with the challenges winter can bring (despite the occasional moan about it).
But ‘downtown?’ While the streets were plowed, they weren’t that well done, and the huge ‘windrows’ down the middle of streets made turning left into malls and parking lots difficult, particularly if you happened to be driving a small, low-slung car.
Then again, the guys in big fourwheelers seemed to take particular joy in blasting their way through them, and in a sense clearing the way for the less well equipped.
The truth however, is that for all our complaining, those living in the rest of the province, and throughout the country would have seen the last week or so as a minor inconvenience.
In fact, the snow we had was mild in comparison to what we had four or five Christmases ago, and certainly nothing like the winter of 1969 when for weeks we were snowed under, with drifts in some areas hitting 20 feet.
Be happy with what little ‘winter’ we just experienced. Remember the Christmas card mornings of last week, and be appreciative that in just a few weeks the flowers will be blooming again.
Then maybe, the million-dollar Friendship Garden will get the occasional visitor.
markrushton@abbynews.com
