The Observation Deck

Day 4 of Drug Mart failing to shovel their sidewalk on Grace. As Ian Andrews from Lakewood Alive said: "This is a basic, communal, and decent nod to our neighbors that everyone who is physically able (residents and businesses alike) ought to do each time it snows."

I agree that sidewalks need to be cleared. I just saw a mother carrying a baby in a carrier trudging through snow left by owners on sidewalks on Edwards. I really encourage everyone to just take some time and shovel your neighbors sidewalk if they haven't.

In regards to Drug Mart, I called as well and got the runaround from the manager on duty. I called a contact I had at the other lakewood branch and she was going to email the regional manager tonight and follow up tomorrow to make sure it was cleared immediately. I guess they hire a company to shovel and salt. I have worked with Drug Mart with some local projects and the leadership really seems responsive and to care about the city. I am hoping it is just an error on the contractors side and should be cleared up tomorrow. We shall see...

Ryan - Thank you for your efforts. It's unfortunate that it takes you having a connection at Drug Mart to (hopefully) get action when a call from a neighbor should have sufficed. I appreciate that your interaction with Drug Mart has been positive. Unfortunately, the experience for many of us on Grace is quite different. Drug Mart lied to us and was, and continues to be, completely uncooperative. Thanks again. Mark.

There are still too many just ignoring the snow. This time it is here for at least a week,
and as the sun comes and goes, and temps come and go, snow turns into ice, that is
dangerous for everyone.

However if you get to the concrete, normally the afternoon sun, will melt and dry the walk.

One Shovel Wide, is not too much, actually it is only a good start, but it is so much better than nothing.

.

Day 5 - Drug Mart found it's shovel. Thanks Ryan. I don't suppose I could get you to talk to them about broken promises made in front of The Planning Commission? Seriously, thanks again. Mark.

It needs to be stated that the City of Lakewood does indeed have small vehicle sidewalk plowing, and they indeed do efficiently cover the municipal sidewalk properties in Lakewood. They have also recently purchased a more specialized plow for sidewalks, and have used that one on the residential Franklin walks a few times.

Lately, the City has paid a great deal of attention to residential sidewalk repair and replacement issues during the summer months, and has, particularly in the past year, worked much more closely with residents with more of a team approach, regarding improved sidewalk management.

As people are understandably much more attentive to the summer sidewalk issue now in Lakewood, perhaps this could also be an opportunity to consider ways that we might improve our sidewalk safety in the winter, as well.

Back to the banjo...

m buckley wrote:Day 5 - Drug Mart found it's shovel. Thanks Ryan. I don't suppose I could get you to talk to them about broken promises made in front of The Planning Commission? Seriously, thanks again. Mark.

Mark

Good luck with that. It would seem the city only likes to spin, not be honest with residents.


Gary

I have to say this one shovel wide thing has really caught on. While walking the dog today
I only ran into a couple homes that did not at least have one shovel wide cleared. Some
actually cleaned it all away.


.

And when we take that healthy walk, why not follow the example of my wonderful neighbor lady and carry along a lightweight shovel? If we come to a walk that needs a little help? Just one shovel wide would do the trick!

You just might be saving someone from a bad fall.

Back to the shovel-banjo!

A big shout out to my neighbor, Angelo Skantzos. When I pulled in the driveway yesterday, there he was - frozen mustache and face - blowing the snow from my double-wide driveway. We always do our sidewalks in the morning before work, but the driveway is so long that it typically has to wait until late afternoon to get done. We are blessed to have such wonderful neighbors

Gosh, your neighbor, blowing all that wet snow off your driveway. His cheeks must be really sore. I hope he's OK. I had to use a shovel....

I try to give a shout out for a nice deed and this is the response. How immature.

I'm sorry Amy. I just flew in from Chicago boy are my jokes tired!

Seriously, I didn't mean to downplay your neighbors helpfulness. We do have to help each other out when we can. I've lived on my street for 20 years, and over much of that span my neighbors to the south have gotten quite old. I've shoveled their front walk and entrance probably a hundred times over the years. Recently, one of the other neighbors has taken to blowing a "one snowblower wide" path on both sides of the street (huzzah!), so now I only need to do their entry.

Yesterday I shoveled the driveway of another home I own out in the country, and came back here and started in on the driveway. I was having a really bad time of it. Tired already, I first cleared the area right in front of my garage, then cleaned up my daughter's car (she's out-of-town) and moved the car into the cleared area, and one minute later whammo, the snow from the garage roof (which is very steep) came down on the car and the cleared area. And as you know that stuff was wet and heavy. Geez! So I kept at it, and a few minutes later another neighbor, all bundled up, shows up with his snowblower. He knows better than to help me because I want the exercise and have told him so previously but I guess he must have been watching (probably laughing) and figured this time was an exception. He was right. So we collaborated and finished up.

Earlier this winter he bought a top-of-the-line snowblower and actually offered me his old one for free. He figured I'd finally grown tired of shoveling (I just turned 60) and he owes me a favor but I still turned it down. Just another thing that is a pain to maintain. My shovel is maintenance-free. Plus like I said I need the exercise.

We are also blessed to have some people with a sense of humor.

Amy and Tim--- two class acts that we're fortunate to call our neighbors

Stan Austin

The last 2 snowfalls I have seen images that I feel we need to capture and have the city use when they pass out fines to home owners and businesses who do not clear their sidewalks.

The first morning I saw a young mother carrying a baby in one of those huge heavy carriers while trying to walk through a section of sidewalk that the owners just ignored. Thankfully the surrounding houses were cleared, but this irresponsible owner put a mother and her baby at risk.

Then this morning I saw a mother and her toddler son trying to make it though a business sidewalk on Madison with a stroller. The wheels were getting stuck every few feet making her back it up and try again. This incident happened right near Lakewood Hardware, which is a shining example of how to correctly clear your sidewalk!

The city has ordinances and employees that can site home and business owners. We really need to make enforcement a priority. I hope the city realizes that these walkers are more important than those driving through our city to get to work and starts to flex its strength to force compliance with the ordinance.