From the IMAGE In-box
Photo F. Adam Sopuck
Editor’s note:
A number of IMAGE contributors wrote in to criticize the latest round of sidewalk repair in the neighbourhood. The commentary below is a representative sample of these letters.
Zipper job on Sandy Hill sidewalks has many locals frustrated
Dave Heerema
When my sons were young, I spent hours each day walking up and down every street in our neighbourhood with them in their stroller. In poor weather, I quickly realized how important it is for sidewalks to be smooth and barrier free. Repairing the sidewalks and keeping them obstacle free is necessary for anyone using wheels on sidewalks.
The city has recently “improved” the sidewalks in the neighbourhood with loosely-packed black asphalt. I wonder, could they have chosen anything more unsightly? My lengthy walks produced a sense of pride in me for the people and places that put effort into maintaining the appeal of our neighbourhood. It feels nice to live somewhere nice. I feel sympathy for the people living with these patchwork black splotches in front of their homes.
I suppose that hoping for concrete to be used to repair a concrete sidewalk is hoping for too much. I also suppose that as long as we work to keep pride in our neighbourhood it will feel like a nice place to live. In the meantime, if you live with this asphalt sidewalk mess in front of your house, perhaps expressing your neighbourhood pride to the City or to the ward councillor might be a nice idea.
Dave Heerema has lived on Wilbrod St. since 2014.
We have heard this strain of sidewalk repair referred to as an instance of “uglification,” which has a nice ring to it. —Ed.
Are they trying to communicate something through primitive symbolism here, not unlike crop circles? There is something almost extraterrestrial about these ones.
Bear witness to a new artistic genre. Behold: Uglificationism!
Photos F. Adam Sopuck