The Auroran
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Residents request snow windrow removal assistance program


As the coldest time of the winter season nears, senior residents have requested for a snow windrow removal assistance program to help make entering and leaving the driveway easier and to prevent possible medical accidents.

A petition for the program garnered 21 signatures out of 23 people in attendance at a seniors meeting held at the Aurora Family Leisure Complex on January 30.

“Many seniors and people with disabilities need your help. Please don't ignore us. Please, please help us,” said Boris Gartsbein, a senior resident of Aurora who attended the Council meeting on January 31 to support the motion.

One resident, John Nowell, said that living on a local bus route, the snow gets cleared quickly but also leaves a large snow windrow at the end of his driveway. 

He and his partner have lived in Aurora for almost 34 years. As seniors, they are now concerned about experiencing a heart attack trying to remove the snow windrow themselves.

“The equipment to protect the end of driveways from large windrows is out there and it's

time Aurora started using it,” Nowell said in his written delegation that was submitted and read to Council on January 31.

John Caprara, a resident of Aurora for over 25 years, said he has been hearing from his neighbors, friends, and other residents that the snow left behind by the plow can be heavy with ice and difficult to move.

“Because of that, I think we need to have a system where we can assist the residents. It makes it difficult for people that have physical conditions, people who have mental issues, and people that are just not strong enough to do it. I also think that today the technology and the equipment is available to be able to assist these people, and much easier than it was a while back,” he said.

Caprara noted that an assistance program has been successfully implemented by townships such as King City, Vaughan, Markham, and Richmond Hill.

“I think you can't avoid the snow and you can't avoid not plowing it. But I think we can no longer not avoid having a windrow system to be able to address the issues that I think a lot of residents need in Aurora. So, I think that a lot of residents would be very appreciative if a system to assist them is implemented. And I think they would be very grateful to yourself and all the Councillors,” Caprara said.

Ward 2 Councillor Rachel Gilliland thanked Caprara for the resources he had forwarded to her from centralhealthline.ca about the Snow Removal Assistance Network offered in other townships, mostly for older adults and residents with physical disabilities who qualify.

By Elisa Nguyen

Post date: 2023-02-09 17:37:06
Post date GMT: 2023-02-09 22:37:06

Post modified date: 2023-02-09 17:37:08
Post modified date GMT: 2023-02-09 22:37:08

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