Winter weather includes the use of public transit and walking on sidewalks for many town and city dwellers.
It has a common theme — one that seems the same no matter where in Canada you are located.
My friend in Toronto sounds much the same as my friend here in Sudbury in voicing her concerns. It is bad. It is dangerous, even. And we have watched news coverage of North Bay and their piles of snow hampering bus stop access and sidewalks.
I think I seriously can offer a solution. It would work. Every town and city worker who is paid by the city should be automatically required to use the local transit system. If you live out of town, by all means, drive to the closest bus stop.
If that sounds extreme or undoable, ask yourself why it should be considered as such?
Do we not all have set times to be at work, at appointments, to get children to sitters, etc.? Why would it be harder for them than the rest who have no alternative?
And they pay for their own passes. We do after all.
And I extend the notion of compulsory transit use to handicapped and more elderly workers, as well. After all, many of us have the use of Handitransit and survive. This group should certainly, even above all, include the mayor and councillors.
Rochelle Hatton
Sudbury