The influx of winter storms over the past few weeks has made many Maritime sidewalks difficult to navigate. A wheelchair user in Halifax is now documenting the obstacles he faces while trying to get around city sidewalks.
Daniel Towsey wants to show others what it is like to navigate snow and ice-covered sidewalks.
Towsey attached a videocamera to his motorized wheelchair. The video footage shows barricades of snow, slippery conditions, and limited access to some sidewalks, forcing those with mobility issues onto the road.
“Even with this chair that's made for rough terrain, I still can't get around the sidewalks because they're caked with ice and snow,” says Towsey. “My wheelchair got some damage because of it.”
The city says the weather is making for challenging conditions.
“Crews have been working around the clock to ensure that we have streets and roads that people can get through, that are treated with a mixture of salt and sand,” says Tiffany Chase of the Halifax Regional Municipality.
While city crews continue to clear sidewalks, Kevin Lamarque, a board member of the Canadian Paraplegic Association of Nova Scotia, says sidewalk conditions in Nova Scotia are among the worst he's ever seen.
“This is worse than Ottawa and I thought Montreal and Ottawa was the worst,” says Lamarque.
Lamarque says he didn't venture outside for four days because of conditions.
Despite the challenges, he's not blaming the city.
“I really do feel the city is doing the best they can under very, very trying circumstances and we all have to be patient and work together,” says Lamarque.
It's still a long road until spring and Towsey feels it's not until people see things from a new perspective, that they really understand.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Amanda Debison
