Two town problems: Pushing snow onto roads, snowmobiles on sidewalks

The latest blasts of winter weather have created a few problems in the villages of Erin and Hillsburgh and throughout the municipality.

Last week, Roads Super–intendent Larry Van Wyck told council two problems in particular have been brought to his attention.

The first is to do with snowmobiles using sidewalks in the town’s villages over the past few weeks.

Van Wyck said that practice, which is prohibited, has led to several confrontations with pedestrians, who are not taking kindly to illegal riders.

He has contacted the snowmobile club to make it aware of the problem and suggested the OPP be contacted and asked to enforce rules outlawing snowmobiles on sidewalks.

Council unanimously passed a resolution requesting the OPP to increase its presence on the snowmobile issue, and councillor Deb Callaghan said she would bring the issue to the town’s COP committee.

The other problem, Van Wyck said, is with residents pushing snow onto roads and right of ways.

There are some “fairly significant piles” created on town roads by those clearing their own driveways, he noted.

Such snow not only makes driving dangerous, it can also interfere with mailboxes, Van Wyck explained.

He told council he would send a letter to residents “to make people aware it’s [against] the law and there’s some liability involved.”