Councillor understands BIZ group’s frustrations with wrecked streetscapes
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/01/2017 (2654 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
St. James-area Coun. Scott Gillingham said he understands the frustration of local business owners who saw thousands of dollars in sidewalk landscaping destroyed by snow clearing crews this week.
Gillingham said the St. James Village Business Improvement Zone (BIZ) took all the necessary steps to prevent the damage that occurred overnight Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I can appreciate it is frustrating for BIZ board members – they invest time and finances to improve the BIZ zone and then their investment is ruined in a night of snow clearing,” Gillingham, St. James-Brooklands-Weston, said.
The BIZ had installed $650,000 worth of landscaped benches, tress planters and bike stands on Portage Avenue, west of Polo Park. BIZ executive director Jennifer Mathieson said snow clearing crews operating front-end loaders destroyed about $10,000 worth of the landscaping features, along a stretch of sidewalk from King Edward to Sackville streets.
Mathieson said this week’s incident has become an annual occurrence with the snow clearing crews.
Gillingham, who is chairman of council’s finance committee, confirmed that a damage claim filed by the BIZ following last winter is still outstanding, but he added he would work with the BIZ board to ensure they are compensated for the damage caused by this winter’s clean-up.
Gillingham said removable planters were taken off the sidewalk in the fall and the other permanent features were marked with the tell-tale tall markers, which are supposed to alert snow clearing crews of their presence.
“They were marked ahead of time,” Gillingham said. “I frankly don’t know what else the St. James Village BIZ could have done to avoid damage.”
A civic spokeswoman confirmed a complaint about the incident was received by 311 but said she could not comment or provide any information on as it’s considered “a legal process.” The spokeswoman said all damage claims are investigated by city staff.
aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca
