'Why isn't the city doing this?' Volunteers shovel snow from 30 streetcar stops in Toronto

Volunteers ventured to 30 streetcar stops clearing mountains of snow that were blocking access to public transit in downtown Toronto over the weekend.

Volunteers ventured to 30 streetcar stops clearing mountains of snow that were blocking access to public transit in downtown Toronto over the weekend after a major storm swept through southern Ontario.

With advance notice of the snowfall, forecasted to be the city’s biggest of the season set to peak on Friday night, a community group began organizing last week.

“Realistically, if the city had come out on Saturday evening or any time on Saturday and cleared streetcar stops, cleared sidewalks, cleared bus stops across the city, we would have been more than happy with that,” Gru, a community organizer who rallied eight volunteers, told CTV News Toronto on Monday.

But as a backup plan, the group decided to take the matter into their own hands if the city didn’t clear the access points to the 505 streetcar route that stretches along Dundas Street.

“If once again we see the city refuse to step up and clear a path, especially for people with mobility aids, then we kind of need to step up as a community,” he said.

On Sunday at 10 a.m., they decided it was time to step up. With shovels in hand, the volunteers started on either end of the 505 route and worked their way towards each other.

The City of Toronto said due to the volume of heavy snow on Friday night, sidewalk plows will need to make multiple passes at the 7,400 kilometres of public sidewalks.