Following recent snowstorms that deposited as much as 40 cm onto Hamilton streets, some Hamilton residents are using social media to bring attention to the issue of snow-covered residential sidewalks.
Currently, residents are expected to clear snow from their sidewalks within 24 hours of a “snow event.” If residents fail to comply, the city will issue a 24-hour “Notice to Comply,” followed by possible inspection and a contracting fee for the homeowner.
However, residents say both residential and city sidewalks are still not being cleared, either by residents or by the city.
The Disability Justice Network of Ontario has encouraged residents to participate in the “Snow and Tell” campaign by tweeting out pictures of snow or ice-covered roads and sidewalks using the hashtag #AODAfail, referring to the Accessibility for Ontarians for Disabilities Act.
https://twitter.com/VicBick/status/1087879002092646401
McMaster student and local community organizer Sophie Geffros supports the campaigns and says it a serious issue of accessibility and justice.
Geffros uses a wheelchair and knows how especially difficult it can be for those who use mobility devices to navigate through snow-covered streets.
“It's people who use mobility devices. It's people with strollers. And it's older folks. People end up on the street. If you go on any street after a major storm, you'll see people in wheelchairs and with buggies on the street with cars because the sidewalks just aren't clear,” Geffros said.
https://twitter.com/sgeffros/status/1087384392866123778
Snow-covered sidewalks also affect the ability for people, especially those who use mobility devices, to access public transit.
“Even when snow has been cleared, often times when it gets cleared, it gets piled on curb cuts and piled near bus stops and all these places that are that are vital to people with disabilities,” Geffros said.
https://twitter.com/craig_burley/status/1088798476081741824
Geffros sees the need for clearing sidewalks as non-negotiable.
“By treating our sidewalk network as not a network but hundreds of individual tiny chunks of sidewalk, it means that if there's a breakdown at any point in that network, I can't get around,” Geffros said. “If every single sidewalk on my street is shoveled but one isn't, I can't use that entire sidewalk. We need to think of it as a vital service in the same way that we think of road snow clearance as a vital service.”
Public awareness about the issue may push city council.
Some councillors have expressed support for a city-run snow clearing service, including Ward 1 councillor Maureen Wilson and Ward 3 councillor Nrinder Nann.
I just don’t find it all that complicated. Cities are for people. It is in our best interest, financial and otherwise, to plow sidewalks. It’s also a matter of justice. I await the city manager’s report and ensuing debate
— Maureen Wilson (She / Her) (@ward1wilson) January 29, 2019
A city council report issued in 2014 stated that a 34 dollar annual increase in tax for each homeowner would be enough to fund sidewalk snow-clearing.
Recently, Wilson requested the city council to issue a new report on the potential costs of funding snow-clearing service.
Geffros sees potential for the current discourse to open up to further discussions on other issues of accessibility and social justice.
Hamilton’s operating budget will likely be finalized around April. Until then, Geffros and other Hamilton residents will continue to speak out on the issue.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
Every so often, students walking through the McMaster University Student Centre are met with faces of The Beatles, large maps of the world and even prints of Banksy’s most popular works.
The Imaginus poster sale, which has been touring Canadian university and college campuses since 1975, is a staple of the university experience. It is not uncommon to see their posters plastered over the walls of dorms and off-campus housing.
The Imaginus poster sale is happening right now in MUSC!
Make sure to check it out before they leave tomorrow 🙂#McSU pic.twitter.com/FfDqEesAgc
— MSU Campus Events (@msucampusevents) January 31, 2019
At first glance, the poster sales seem innocent enough. For under $10, you can get away with two good-sized posters of your favourite band or quote — what could be wrong with that?
A lot, actually. The Imaginus poster sale has been critiqued in the past for selling posters that promote cultural appropriation, and poster sales in general have been scrutinized for the ethics of selling reproduced and borderline copyright-infringement artwork. This can especially raise eyebrows as it is rare that the collected profits ever reach the original artists.
But beyond the possible problematic nature of the content of their posters, the Imaginus poster sales take away opportunities from student artists. As it stands, McMaster University students cannot sell their artwork on campus for a profit.
According to the Policy on Student Groups, student groups on campus “may not engage in activities that are essentially commercial in nature.”
This policy is what caused the shutdown of an art sale by McMaster’s Starving Artists Society last year. The club is made up of student artists and creatives that are looking to expand their portfolio and reach a wider audience.
The event that was shut down was meant to be an opportunity for student artists to market their artwork to their peers and even profit off of their hard work. Many of Mac’s student artist community are involved with SAS and were negatively affected by the university’s decision to shut the event down.
Essentially, the university has allowed Imaginus to have an unfair monopoly on selling art on campus. For a university that already arguably disvalues the arts, to dissuade student artists from profiting from their work is a serious matter.
This brings to light a larger issue at hand. Why should any students be disallowed to sell their products on campus — especially when outside companies are given space in our student centre to sell their products?
This situation unfortunately reflects the situation of many non-student local artists within the community. In our corporate world, it is extremely difficult to establish a reliable clientele and profit off of one’s work. Mass commercialized products inherently cost less and as a result, this drives away sales from local artists.
As the university makes a profit from the poster sales, and in general from any vendors on campus, it is unlikely that this issue will be addressed anytime soon.
Until it is, you can support local and student artists through sharing their work, reaching out to them and contributing towards their sales. The SAS also runs art crawls and other events where students can get in contact with student artists!
Everyone has a Friends poster in their house. When you buy local and student, not only are you supporting your peers, but you’re likely acquiring higher quality and truly unique works of art.
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
Tobi Abdul
The Silhouette
Dear homeless people,
I see you. In a world where you are invisible, please know that I see you. I understand that you are another person, trying to survive another day, just as we all are. You may not own much, but you have hope. You have hope that people will give you their spare change out of pure generosity. You still believe in the goodness of humanity, and in people, which is more than I can say for most of us. The rest of us walk with our heads down, rushing from one place to another, trying to block out all the bad in the world, while forgetting that as we do, we also block out the good.
You sit on the sidewalk, head high, cup outstretched, becoming all the more hopeful with each coin that drops into your cup. With each cent, you are reassured that there are good people in the world. I may walk past you in a hurry, but I think about you as I do. I think about you as I put money into the transit box instead of walking, I think about you as I scramble for change for an overpriced coffee and I think about you as I get into bed at night wishing my bed was more comfortable.
People may scoff and think that they are better than you but they are wrong, because you are among the wisest of people. I do not even know you, and yet, you have taught me life’s most valuable lessons. Because of you, I have learned to appreciate what I have, and give when I can to those who have less. Because of you, I have realized that there is more to life than money and clothes. I may be more educated, but you are more knowledgeable.
You are stronger than me, because you must rely on the rest of the world in order to meet life’s most basic needs. We are overwhelmed by the bad in the world, overloaded with statistics and biases and devastation. You are liberated in your ignorance, and empowered by your hopefulness. I lie, and tell you that I have no change, and you give me a grin and tell me to have a nice day. The grin that breaks my heart. I am no better than you because I have a home, I am no better than you because I possess more. It seems at times that you are better than me, because you are resilient, brave and despite seeming broken, you smile.
I give when I have, and when I am changeless I will still give. I will give you a smile, to let you know that I care, I will give you half of my sandwich so you will not go hungry, I will give you well wishes, that you may survive another day, and most importantly, I will give you my utmost respect, for doing what most of us could not. I think this is what is most forgotten when we look at you, we forget that you are among the bravest of men.
You wish people a good day, when they have done nothing to help yours and you stand strong, despite being told that you are less because you have less. I want you to know that I see you. I see the strength in you, and I only wish one day, I too will be able to have the same strength that you do. Thank you for these life lessons and thank you for showing me that the most humbling view is the one from the sidewalk.
