Snowbucks

So... the snow didn't arrive, the temperature rose and now its raining and the sidewalks are little rivers of melting slush. Too bad for me... good for the Motorists. (as long as the watery roads and sidewalks don't freeze tonight... in which case we're all screwed...)

but, but

But!!!!

the city of Toronto, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to spend 21 million dollars in the next few days clearing the snow from the streets. Toronto Star story here..

21 million dollars!

Now I realize that all this snow piling up is an inconvenience... and probably an immense one for anyone elderly or handicapped and stuck at home. But the city isn't clearing the sidewalks ... they're clearing the roads, so people can park. When last I looked the streets were all relatively clear, and people were coping with a limited number of spots, or doing their own dirty work and clearing the road in front of their house.

If I can be selfish for a moment, think of what 20 million dollars would do if they could drop that into the arts funding for the city. It would totally transform the upcoming year for the arts in Toronto. Or daycare, or immigrant services, or name your target market for people who could use that money.

anyway... it pisses me off and I can't help wonder if its a lovely little cash grab by the city workers. Clear snow over 'family day' and get double time and a half. When I lived in Montreal the city would spend the winter clearing the streets with these huge convoys of trucks and flamethrowers. The snow would trail off, but in late march we'd get one more snowfall, usually of only a couple of inches - nothing when you'd spent five months living with several feet of snow. But the city would spring into action and every city worker would be on the job attacking those two inches. I found this totally confusing until it was explained to me that this was their last chance for overtime for the year, so whether the snow deserved it or not, it was going to get cleared....