A Winnipeg man is upset after a heave in the sidewalk in front of his home that’s already led to one injury, remains unfixed more than two months after he began reaching out to the city over concerns someone could get hurt.
On August 13, Jon Waldman first contacted 311 regarding the heave, which, according to him, elevated the earth by around two inches at its worst.
Waldman claims that despite receiving a response from the city, nothing was done until he contacted 311 once more late last month after someone, as he had expected, slipped and fell outside his house.
On September 22, Waldman claims he returned from work to discover a man “down down on the ground” being assisted by neighbours.
“He was gushing blood. Unfortunately, there was a sizable pool of blood on a sidewalk, Waldman said on Friday, according to 680 CJOB’s The Start.
The uneven pavers on the sidewalk were large enough for someone to potentially get wounded, and someone did, but it happened too late after I had filed my initial report.
Three neighbours, according to Waldman, were able to assist in lifting the man, and an ambulance was called.
This time, Waldman claims a city worker arrived and put up a pylon next to the slope a day after the man fell and he submitted his second report to 311.
Waldman claims that he is still waiting to see the heave rectified even though it has been just about a month since the pylon was put up.
He explained that this week, he chose to contact the media instead.
“It’s still dangerous. And especially now that the slippery season is approaching,” he remarked.
Waldman also reported that a city worker showed up to erect barricades around the sidewalk area barely hours after he shared his tale on CJOB on Friday morning.
The sidewalk will be restored in the coming days, according to city spokeswoman Ken Allen, who noted that the recent milder weather had caused the heave to partially settle back into place on its own.
In the initial email to Global News, Allen said the city’s time frame for sidewalk repair varies depending on the nature and extent of the repairs required, noting a sidewalk deemed to be in “non-hazardous condition” is put on a list to be fixed within a year.
According to him, dangerous sidewalks are fixed in two business days.
When questioned about why the man’s fall on the pavement in front of Waldman’s house wasn’t declared dangerous, Allen admitted a mistake had been made.
Unfortunately, in this instance, field employees did not complete the repair as promptly as they ought to have.
“This was a mistake that was brought up with staff, and crews are currently on the scene trying to get that portion of sidewalk restored in the coming days, weather allowing.
In the end, according to Waldman, the city should not have ignored the sidewalk after putting in so much work and suffering an injury.
He explained, “I mean, this isn’t a case where, you know, it’s something cosmetic.
“For it to be sitting here now, you know, so many weeks later, and for there not to be any progress – especially now as we’re getting closer and closer to winter — it blows my mind. ”
Files from Rosanna Hempel are included.
Heaving Winnipeg sidewalk still not addressed weeks after 31-1 calls, injury
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