I know what you’re thinking. “Fascinating subject Arb, do tell us more!”
Okay, perhaps not as gripping the other newsy bits we we have around here but none the less a subject that shouldn’t be casually swept aside. Living in Alberta means that for three to five months of the year, snow will be on the ground. The lovely first fall of snow marks the official end of mosquito season and the transition to having ‘exposed flesh stick uncomfortably to metal season’. Some might balk at all the freezing rain, sleet and snow – but really – it isn’t that bad.
One of the civic expectations of snowy Edmontonian existence is keeping the public sidewalk in front of your place of residence clear of snow and ice. Our civic authorities mandate that from the time of the last snow event forty-eight hours are given in which to clear your walks in order to make them safe for people to walk on.
Sound reasonable?
Seems workable to me and thus after each snow I make my rounds with my trusty shovel and ice-scraper. My goal is to get down to the concrete to ensure a safe and solid footing for all those who would come to see me, or merely have to sojourn past my property. For my work to be done, my walks need to pass the inappropriate winter footwear test. If I can confidently make my way in my sandals –
Then, and only then, my job is done. :)
It takes some time and work, let me assure you. Many factors are working against you in the valiant quest for clean sidewalks it is here my arch nemesis must be named.
Freezing Rain.
A glossy, slippery, unchippable horror that can only be bested by the most potent weapon in my winter arsenal.
Glorious sidewalk-salt. That being said, one must consider the bitter-salty implications of using this dread weapon on icy sidewalks. Salt is not conducive to the growing and maintenance of grass or anything else organic for that matter.
Observe.
The battle for clean sidewalks is necessarily a delicate balance. A fateful alchemy of dedication, perseverance, and Na Cl. It is a fine line that must be walked during snow-season in Alberta.
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
3 comments
January 3, 2015 at 1:20 pm
tildeb
Dark grit works as well… even a light sprinkle of sand will absorb light and pocket stubborn ice for grip and melt it (I think as well as salt can) if the sun emerges. No biologics are harmed by sand and dirt and it’s much better for the footwear, pads (for critters), and the cars not just for grip but for the quality of the melt water. The runoff may have more turbidity but the benefits outweigh the costs.
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January 3, 2015 at 3:39 pm
tnt666
Yukoners use sand, not salt. There are boxes of sand next to nearly all public buildings.
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January 4, 2015 at 3:55 pm
bleatmop
That brown grass is just that much less you need to mow during the summer :) I know it doesn’t amount to much during our 2 weeks of summer but every bit counts!
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