The Snows of Gatineau: Surrendering to Mother Nature's wrath

While it's common procedure here to ignore the sidewalks when a snow storm hits, back east they still have a quaint little tradition of actually plowing the walkways for pedestrians after a snowfall.

Well, they used to anyways. The City of Gatineau, across the river from Ottawa, has decided enough is enough, and for the rest of the winter they've decided there will be no more plowing of the sidewalks.

Apparently overwhelmed by the amount of snow this year, residents have been told that they'll have to walk in the roadways until the spring melt. As a matter of fact, the snow that currently is clogging side streets, is going to be plowed up onto the sidewalks (f they can find them) so the city can get things moving again.

They join other large Quebec cities which in recent days have decided that sidewalks are a luxury that for the moment they can do without.

We assume that the mayor and councillors in Gatineau don't walk to work..

Gatineau gives up on snow removal
The Canadian Press
March 12, 2008 at 5:56 PM EDT

GATINEAU, Que. — Residents of Gatineau, Que., will be walking in the roads until the end of winter because the city has given up on plowing sidewalks.

Officials say there's simply too much snow to remove.

The snow that has been clogging roads since the weekend will be plowed onto sidewalks.
Sidewalks near schools and on major routes will be cleared, but officials say the priority is widening side streets.

Quebec City, Montreal, Longueuil and Trois-Rivieres have all made the same decision in recent days.

Gatineau police have been told to be on the lookout for drivers who pass too close to pedestrians.