It’s time to grab the shovels again, Newmarket. About 15 cm of snow is expected to fall within a short timeframe beginning today about 1 p.m., Environment Canada reports, along with deep freeze temperatures that will feel like -25C with the wind chill.
That means snow will accumulate quickly on all surfaces such as roadways, walkways, driveways, steps and more, making mobility particularly difficult for seniors and people with disabilities.
If you want to help a neighbour in need by clearing snow around their home, a local program run by Neighbourhood Network will match snow shovellers with registered recipients of the service.
Neighbourhood Network, the charitable arm of Magna International, coordinates the volunteer snow removal service for eligible seniors and persons with disabilities in several area municipalities when snowfall accumulation exceeds 10 centimeters or four inches. The municipalities serviced include Newmarket, Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina and King.
Right now in Newmarket, the following streets need volunteers to help clear the snow:
- William Curtis Circle
- Elgin Street
- Londry Court
- Sandford Street
- Winkworth Court
- Coleridge Drive
- Sherman Brock Circle
- Main Street
Here’s what you can expect to do as a volunteer snow shoveller:
- Clear snow from town sidewalks
- Shovel a path to a resident’s front door
- Clear snow at driveway entrances left by snow plows
If you need help shovelling and would like to register for the program, here are the eligibility requirements:
- Must be a resident in the towns of Newmarket, Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina or King Township
- Must be 65 years of age or older (low-income seniors who receive a Seniors Tax Credit will be given priority), or
- Any resident with a disability documented by an Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) cheque stub, a wheelchair parking pass, or a doctor’s note, regardless of age
- In addition, there must be no able-bodied adults living at this address.
Not all applicants will receive this service and can only be matched according to the availability of volunteers. Non-matched applicants will be put on a waiting list and contacted only if a volunteer becomes available.
To volunteer as a snow shoveller, call 905-726-3737 or email [email protected].
To sign up to receive this service and for more information, visit here.
