As winter rapidly approaches, Ottawa seniors brace themselves for the harsh conditions that will drastically impact their lifestyle and safety.

Groups of seniors who call themselves Snow Moles, are taking matters into their own hands as they raise awareness for a need to prioritize winter walkability in Ottawa.

The snow moles are a winter walkability audit program led by the Age-Friendly Pedestrian Safety Walkability Committee of the Council on Aging of Ottawa.

The volunteers are mostly senior citizens who meet regularly in the winter to report on their experience of winter walking in Ottawa. On walking audits, the snow moles fill out a questionnaire about the conditions of sidewalks.

The three main issues the group checks for is if the sidewalks have been plowed, if they are slippery, and if there are snowbanks.

Mission

"Our mission is to be a watchdog for seniors in our community and advocate on their behalf," says Anna Cuylits, an Ottawa senior and one of the founding members of the Snow Moles.

Cuylits first started the Snow Moles in 2018 after experiencing a dangerous walk in the winter.

"I became very mad at how dangerous it was for me to walk places in the winter, and I decided I need to look for solutions," said Cuylits.

She has suffered from injuries of a broken back and hips and likes to stay active, but often the sidewalk conditions prohibit her from leaving her home in the winter.

"If I knew that it was reliable, I wouldn't be so nervous. When the conditions get better, people will get out, and it is extremely important for seniors to come out in the winter and get fresh air," said Cuylits.

Last year the group completed 255 audits, which was collected by the Council on Aging of Ottawa and developed into an analyzed report.

The report consists of statistics from the audits and recommendations by the snow moles. It is sent to the City of Ottawa.

"It brings the views of seniors that are not necessarily in an elective role and gives their point of view on the walkability to the city," said Dianne Breton, a board member of the Council on Aging. "When you provide a group and data that you can rely on, the city has to act on it."

Social Isolation in Seniors

Last year the snow moles reported that 81% of sidewalks and pathways in Ottawa were unsafe. 54% of snow mole participants could not safely get to their destination or bus stop.

Harsh winter walking conditions can lead to social isolation and injuries for the senior population.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, approximately 50% of people over the age of 80 reports feeling lonely, and men over the age of 80 have the highest suicide rate of all age groups.

The Snow Mole's message to the city is that an age-friendly city must have safe and accessible winter walking for seniors and other vulnerable pedestrians.

"I just want to be able to get from point A to B," said John Woodhouse, a disabled Ottawa senior.

Woodhouse has been caught in many dangerous situations due to poor winter sidewalk conditions. He is frustrated with the cities' lack of urgency in fixing the issue to make the sidewalks accessible.

"The other day, I was taking my regular route home, and the snow was piled higher than I was expecting. My wheelchair got stuck in the snow, and I couldn't spin my wheels. I was stuck there for so long until someone finally came to push me out," said Woodhouse.

Where is the City?

Many seniors have resorted to using ice grips on their boots, walking poles, and other mobility aids during the winter. Yet, often, the condition of the sidewalk is still not safe enough.

"I don't think the city prioritizes seniors enough, but with this committee, there is an awareness that there never was before. We are serious about what we want," said Bretton.

The Capital Ward City Councillor, Shawn Menard, joined the snow moles for a walking audit last winter and realized how poor sidewalks conditions are in regards to snow clearing.

"Our city staff have been heavily engaged and involved with the snow moles and take the feedback that the snow moles have audited. As a result of the snow moles work, this year, we are going to be seeing 24-hour sidewalk plowing availability," said Menard.

The Maintenance Quality Standards in Ottawa are scheduled to be updated this term of counsel for the first time in 20 years. The process for these changes is to begin this year but will not be seen until 2021.

"We hear them loud and clear, and we are working hard to make sure those standards are getting up to date and that we have better service this winter than last," said Menard in response to the Snow Moles demands.