Monique LaLonde said she’s tripped, stumbled, and fallen many times on Saskatoon sidewalks.
For blind people like LaLonde, cracks and holes are a big safety concern.
"Those potholes affect you just as if you are somebody who is driving. A toe can get caught, an ankle can get sprained,” she said.
The city said they’re working to bring the sidewalks from a level D rating up to a B, which requires $2.7 million a year. This year, their budget was increased to $500,000. It’s a long way to go, but city said they’ve rated half of the sidewalks, and the majority are in good shape.
“On the data we have only three per cent of them are in very poor condition,” Rob Frank, manager of strategic services for the City of Saskatoon, said.
Some of the worst sidewalks aren’t actually the city’s responsibility. Some buildings have basements that encroach out from the building’s structure, and it’s up to the property owner to maintain that space.
"Our number one priority for sidewalks is for safety. So we'll always work toward safety and maintaining them with our crews to fill in those areas,” Frank said.
Monique said she has seen improvements, and that she hopes the city follows through with their plan. "If this town is one that is going to become pedestrian and cyclist friendly and we're looking at equality for all citizens in Saskatoon we need to look at sidewalks as much as we need to look at the roads,” she said.
With more than 1,400 feet of sidewalks in the city, it’s going to take a lot of time and money to fill in the cracks.
