The Covid-19 pandemic presents mixed blessings. While inconvenient and not without raising people’s anxiety it has stimulated many residents to take up walking their neighbourhoods.
While casual walking has been a favoured low-intensity outdoor activity for me, for its lack of stress, it has also enabled me to explore the pedestrian ways of St. Albert. St. Albert likes to pride itself for its liveability and accessibility. It has been a consequence of this recent activity that has motivated me raise the issue of shovelling sidewalks. As with most things right now, I have come to realize that there are many to thank, especially during times of freeze and thaw, who are diligent about clearing the public walkways fronting their homes and businesses. These unsung heros are to be thanked for enabling many who are reluctant to walk during inclement times to undertake the activity.
When one considers that half the year the sidewalks and trails can be prone to hazards associated with freeze, thaw and accumulation of snow, and if you, like me, are not the best without skates on ice, then you silently thank those who clear away the snow and ice. Clear walks reflect a social responsibility that comes with being part of a community. It is a responsibility that is not fulfilled just by paying property taxes.
To these guardians of St. Albert sidewalks, thank you and may your diligence be an example for others to follow.
Ken Crutchfield
St. Albert
