City pays thousands over snow clearing damage
The city has paid out thousands of dollars over damage caused by snow clearing mishaps – $700,000 over six years, according to this piece. And this is only for issues caused by its own workers. Damage caused by contractors is not covered by the city.
Ian 21:13 on 2024-12-27 Permalink
While I was briefly living in Little Burgundy in 2001, a sidewalk plow took out a fire hydrant in front of my place. I wondered who would be on the hook for that. In the Southwest it was a running joke that all the sidewalk jockeys were drunk, but it wasn’t entirely a joke.
Living back in Mile End a few years later, a sidewalk plow took out my car’s side mirror. 311 basically told me to forget about it unless I wanted to go to court about it, and even then, good luck.
Kate 00:19 on 2024-12-28 Permalink
Was there a geyser when the hydrant was hit?
Nicholas 00:12 on 2024-12-28 Permalink
I’m surprised the amount is that low. Given how narrow the sidewalks are, and all the stuff on the sidewalk and the street, and the rushed timetables, I’d have figured it was in the millions per year.
Ian 00:40 on 2024-12-28 Permalink
The sidewalk plows are all contract and so is most of the alley and residential street clearing. I’d be interested to see the breakdown.
@Kate it happened overnight so I don’t know, but there was a lot of ice – so probably. I’m sure it was a heck of a shock to the chenillette driver when he hit it full tilt.