It’s nearly a week to the day since the last major snowfall in the area and still no snow removal operations for the Downtown business district. Today, Monday, February 14, 2011 and all of the parking meters on the south side of Water Street and Duckworth Street are closed by the City. Half of the Downtown is shutdown and inaccessible to customers and employees of the 500 plus businesses and members in the area.

Today is also Valentine’s Day. One of the busiest days for restaurants in the area, as were the last three days of the past weekend, yet the Downtown is not accessible to those visiting the area requiring the use of on street parking.

As stated on the City of St. John’s website “Snow removal operations involve the removal of snow from City streets by way of truck to provide for additional snow storage. Priority areas include the Downtown business district, residential areas in the downtown, Churchill Square and residential areas in the greater downtown area where snow storage on residential properties in not available” yet a removal of snow has not occurred in the area while snow clearing operations have taken place in other areas of the City.

Parking in the Downtown is already at a deficiency and now due to the in actions of snow removal and the actions of parking meter restrictions on street parking in the area has at best been cut in half. Traffic flow is highly impacted and pedestrian accessibility (except for the sidewalks which are kept clear by business and property owners) to locally owned businesses near impossible. Deliveries can’t be made on time and efficiently because commercial vehicles are not permitted to park on one side of the street and if they do find a place to legally park in a loading zone, the windfall makes it nearly impossible to safely deliver goods.

All property owners in the Downtown business district are mandated by the City to keep the sidewalks clear of snow and ice and accessible within 24 hours of a snowfall yet the windfall and removal of the snow from the street which the City is responsible for can be left for nearly a week.

The over 500 businesses and members of Downtown St. John’s demand and deserve better services from the City of St. John’s.  If this same disregard to accessibility to the area continues the livelihoods of many of these businesses will be jeopardized and possibly lost.

It has been learned that the next scheduled removal for Downtown is Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, one week since the last major snow fall in the area.

Please contact all members of Council to express your concern and let them know how actions such as these impact you and your business.