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<\/p>\nWhile the melting snow last weekend in Mississauga was good news for many and a welcome sign of spring, it also revealed something not so favourable \u2014 all the damage done over the winter to healthy grass by the city\u2019s sidewalk snowplows.<\/p>\n
For the first time, the City of Mississauga plowed all sidewalks throughout the municipality as part of regular winter maintenance provided to residents. In doing so, it added some 900 kilometres of secondary sidewalks to the 1,550 kilometres of priority roadside routes it has always cleared.<\/p>\n
Helen Noehammer, Mississauga\u2019s director of works operations and maintenance, said this week \u201cwe knew we were going to get additional sod damage\u201d to lawns with all the extra sidewalks being cleared of snow.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s, unfortunately, just a byproduct of residential sidewalk (snow) clearing, and definitely with the warmer weather this (past) weekend and the snow melt, now a lot more of that sod damage is coming to light, so we are getting a huge volume of inquiries.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Helen Noehammer, Mississauga\u2019s director of works operations and maintenance, said the city has received a \u201chuge volume of inquiries\u201d from residents whose lawns have been damaged.<\/p>\n
Noehammer added that, in many cases, the damage is minor \u2014 \u201cthe grass has grown over the sidewalk edges and the plow has just clipped it\u201d \u2014 and will be repaired in the coming months by city workers.<\/p>\n
Where damage to grass is more substantial, she said, and sod will have to be replaced, the city will have its contractor make the repairs to residents\u2019 lawns.<\/p>\n
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Noehammer explained the city\u2019s winter maintenance operations will have to come to an end before sod damage can be properly assessed and then repaired.<\/p>\n
She said minor repairs will be completed first \u2014 in April and May \u2014 with more substantial fixes to follow. In cases of greater damage to lawns, where new sod must be put down, the city aims to get those repairs completed before June and \u201cthe heat of the summer\u201d and if not then, in the fall.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u00a0our preference is to get that all done before summer,\u201d Noehammer stressed, noting the city will be dealing with an increased number of sod repairs due to the expanded sidewalk snowplow program.<\/p>\n
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(Graphic: City of Mississauga)<\/p>\n
City officials said in a post to social media on Friday that \u201cwhen clearing sidewalks, the city\u2019s plow operators try to avoid sod damage as much as possible, but unfortunately some sod damage may still occur.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why sod damage caused by snowplows happens, according to the city:<\/p>\n
Grass has overgrown onto the sidewalk.
\nWet sod is easily torn.
\nDeep snow can hide sidewalk lines from the snowplow operator.
\nParked vehicles and landscaping can force plow operators onto the grass to avoid hitting the obstacle.<\/p>\n
To report sod damage, residents are advised to call 311 or report it online<\/a> to the city.<\/p>\n Mississauga Ward 10 Coun. Sue McFadden noted in her newsletter to the community in January that despite best efforts, grass was being damaged in some neighbourhoods<\/a> by sidewalk plows.<\/p>\n (Cover photo: City of Mississauga X)<\/p>\n