Calgary is home to great people, gorgeous real estate and… cold weather. Every winter, Calgarians embrace daily life in a cold climate. In the cold weather, it is important to keep sidewalks free of snow and ice in order to maintain safety for Calgarians. For more info on homeowner responsibilities and tips for shovelling, see our last post. But while shovelling is great exercise for most, it can be difficult, and even dangerous for many – especially older adults, those with limited mobility, and others. During this snowy time of year, we encourage everyone who is of able body to be a “snow angel”. Snow angels are individuals who shovel a nearby neighbour’s sidewalk just to be a good neighbour. To be a Snow Angel, all you have to do is adopt a neighbour’s sidewalk and keep it clear when it snows. Watch for people in your neighbourhood who could use help removing snow and lend them a hand. Your helping hand helps your neighbour comply with the snow removal bylaw, and improves pedestrian safety for all. Shovelled walks also keep your fantastic inner city neighbourhood looking pristine and welcoming. There’s nothing like an immaculate, newly constructed piece of real estate with clear sidewalks all around! If you are not able to take up the wings of a snow angel- do you know of a worthy snow angel nearby? You can nominate snow angels to receive a letter of recognition from The City of Calgary through 311, online or by mail. The City of Calgary website has more information on this, click here. In the cold winter, small acts...
Although investing in Calgary real estate has many positive aspects, it’s the time of year to bring up one of the few… less positive aspects. Snow removal. We’re going to tell you about what you’re responsible for as a property owner, and how to shovel smart. As a property owner in the City of Calgary, you are responsible for: Removing snow and ice – down to bare surface, from public sidewalks bordering your property within 24 hours of the snowfall ending. Owners of rental properties are responsible for arranging for snow and ice removal when they reside elsewhere. Remove a minimum width of 1.5 meters of snow and ice – down to bare surface – from a public pathway bordering their property, also within 24 hours of a snowfall ending. Applicable pathways are those that run parallel and adjacent to a street, with or without separation between the pathway and street (e.g. a grass boulevard). Pile snow from their private driveway or walkway on their own property (e.g. front lawn). Snow from a public sidewalk or pathway may be shoveled onto another public property, such as a road. -bullets taken from: http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages/Bylaws-by-topic/Snow-ice.aspx Shoveling smart: It’s a good idea to invest in a good quality shovel, and warm clothing for shovelling. A snow blower is not usually necessary, unless you have a property with larger than normal driveway and amount of sidewalk. For most Calgarians, their handy shovel is all they need. “Man, it just keeps on snowing!” Now, when there is a prolonged snowfall, where the snow has been falling for more than a few...
