The City of Cote Saint-Luc is looking into the possibility of heated sidewalks.
City councillor Ruth Kovac is pushing for heated sidewalks, as council faces a significant increase to its salt bill. The bill is expected to rise by $100,000 this year alone.
Kovac argues that it would help the area’s ageing population; one-third of Cote Saint-Luc residents are seniors.
“More sense of security and safety when they go out. Maybe our seniors won’t be afraid to leave their home after a snowfall, because they know that walking to city hall will be safe, that they can go to their doctor’s appointment at Decarie Square and it’s safe the sidewalks will be safe,” she said.
The system underground heats the roads and sidewalks, preventing the buildup of snow and ice. The city of Holland, Michigan has installed them and with about 200 centimetres of snow every year – a bit less than Montreal’s – the sidewalks are perfectly clear without any effort.
“You don’t have to purchase the sand, and you don’t have to purchase the salt – or as much of it. You don’t have to fuel the bombardiers, and you don’t have to buy the equipment you don’t have the labour costs,” she said. “And you don’t have people slipping on the sidewalks.”
Earlier this year, the City of Montreal axed a plan for heated sidewalks on Ste. Catherine St., saying they would be prone to costly repairs and cost more than $100 million.
Cote Saint-Luc Mayor Mitchell Brownstein said he’s not opposed to the idea itself, but said heated sidewalks are not in the budget at this point.
“It’s millions of dollars. I don’t think it's something the taxpayers would be jumping on us doing, but when you work with developers, and they’re spending billions on big projects, I think it’s something they might seriously consider,” he said.
Kovac said it would be short-term pain for long-term gain: though it would cost millions to implement, it would ultimately result in savings because the city is paying $600,000 per year to salt city sidewalks.
Beyond seniors, many residents would benefit from the measure, said Kovac.
“That a mom wants to take her kids out in a stroller, and they can actually navigate the streets, that people in wheelchairs or with a cane – anyone that’s mobility challenged - will have easy access,” she said.
The sidewalks would also be more environmentally friendly because there would be less salt on the roads and fewer clogged sewers.
Opponents of the plan say it’s a waste of time and money because most residents don’t walk around the city – most drive.
