The Town of Strathmore has a few rules for clearing snow in the area.
Through its Winter Road, Pathway, and Sidewalk Maintenance Policy, the town covers over 160 kilometres of roadways and 120 kilometres of sidewalks during the winter.
There are three priorities for roads:
- First-priority roads are cleared within 48 hours of a snow event.
- Second-priority roads are cleared within three days.
- Third-priority roads are cleared within five days.
Most residential roads, lanes, and alleys are considered "non-priority" and are not cleared by the town.
"When you consider the large number of driveways in town, we simply do not have the resources to provide this level of service within a reasonable time frame," wrote the town.
Clearing sidewalks and pathways are a shared responsibility. However, property owners are required to ensure sidewalks adjacent to their properties are clear of snow.
According to Bylaw 13-05, residents must clear sidewalks within 48 hours of snow hitting the ground. The town has given tips for residents when it comes to clearing driveways, including shoveling snow onto the lawn and not the road.
The town also removes snow, although they believe it to be an inefficient use of tax dollars and resources unless necessary. Because of this, snow removal is activated when priority roads are reduced in width by 50 per cent, or the street snow exceeds 100 centimetres in height.
As for non-priority roads, they are only cleared in extreme conditions when the snow reaches a minimum of 100 centimetres or impedes stormwater drainage.
"Unfortunately, we don't offer personal snow removal services," added the town. "We do help coordinate the Snow Angels program for seniors and persons with disabilities through Strathmore Family and Community Support Services."
The organization has more information on winter, such as sledding, outdoor skating, and highway maintenance, which is available on the town's website.