It took an hour and a half for 72-year-old Daphne Bowers to use a shovel and bucket to sand the road leading to her home because the Department of Transportation and Works says it will not do it.
Bowers lives in Pacquet, a small town of approximately 160 people, roughly an hour and a half drive north of Springdale on the Baie Verte Peninsula. She also sits on the town council.
For the last two weeks or so, ice has caked many of the roads in the small town. Bowers says.
“I’ve been calling the department to do our roads, but they refuse to do it because the driver said it’s too dangerous,” she said.
The one main road through town has been handled by the local contractor in the town and is relatively clear. The issue is the spider web of side streets, which tend to be up hills.
The town has been told by the Department of Transportation and Works that the local contractor is fine with the main road, but doesn’t feel the side streets are safe for the plow to navigate.
“I’ve been calling the department to do our roads, but they refuse to do it because the driver said it’s too dangerous." — Daphne Bowers
The solution offered so far is a large mound of sand dumped in the town, provided by the department, which residents are free to use to spread on their own side streets and laneways.
Another option presented is to hire some locals to use the council-owned truck to spread the sand on the town’s behalf. Bowers says the trouble there is a lack of insurance to cover the workers.
“They said get that truck and fill it full of sand and get some of the people, some workers to go around and take that sand, and sand the side roads,” she said.
“We don’t have any insurance to do that. The things they come up with is crazy.”
Jodie Matthews, the local fire chief and Bowers’ niece, says the small roads can be tough to navigate without a layer of ice, let alone with.
“These lanes, you basically have room for one vehicle. Somebody else tries to get up the road and you’re stranded,” she said.
“Most of these roads have people no less than 65 years old on them. They’re out having to do their own sanding.”
Matthews says there have been no emergencies in the inaccessible areas yet, but it’s something she is worried about.
“I can’t get up there in my car, so I can guarantee you the firetruck isn’t getting up there.” — Jodie Matthews
Matthews says she snapped a picture of Bowers moving sand on the street in the hope of drawing attention to the issue. Bowers was reluctant at first, but Matthews says someone had to speak out
“They’re not listening to her complaints, they’re not listening to the town clerk’s complaints, or the workers’ or the residents’ — it’s just no, it’s not going to get done,” she said.
Calls to the department were not returned by deadline on Monday.
Twitter: @DavidMaherNL
