After more than 10 years of raising plowing-quality concerns to the city, Calgarians living in Southwood said one of its major crosswalks has become a safety issue in the winter months, calling the minimal improvement evidence of the city’s lack of listening.

The 21-metre-long crosswalk sits along Southland Drive SW, east of 14 Street SW and west of Elbow Drive SW, and provides access to two Calgary Transit bus stops on either side of the road.

Longtime Southwood resident Will Ratliffe said that even though the entire area, including the sidewalks parallel to the drive and the crosswalk, which runs through the median, is identified on the city’s snow-clearing map, the area is rarely plowed properly.

He said that the problem has persisted for years, but that the aftermath of the city’s most recent snowfall in late February brought him and other community members to their boiling point.

Calgary and parts of southern Alberta saw a 15 to 30 cm surge in snow between Feb. 26 and 27. When this happened, Ratliffe said the snow from earlier that week had not yet been cleared. After contacting the city, he said that they “deliberately piled the snow up against the beg button.”

Since October 2025, the city said in an email statement that it received a total of six 311 service requests for that specific location along Southland Drive SW, and that four of these were submitted in late February. 

As of Mar. 3, the city said its most recent investigation of the site found the area clear and passable. Ratliffe agreed that although the crosswalk eventually gets cleared, it appears to happen only after residents alert the city. 

“You call 311, it gets cleared, and then the next time, it doesn’t get cleared,” he said. 

Ratliffe said that this shouldn’t have to be the case every time it snows, especially considering the proximity of the crosswalk to bus stops and the accessibility issues that not quickly plowing the area raises.

Residents ask for accountability

Following the city council’s 2024 approval of the priority snow plan, the City of Calgary’s mobility maintenance team said in an email statement that the document outlines the steps they take to clear snow across the city. 

Plowing major routes used by both vehicles and pedestrians is the first priority within 24 hours of snowfall ending. After that, they said they aim to complete accessibility clearing — plowing priority bus stops and intersections — within two days of the snow stopping. 

Doing so, they said that two contractors are responsible for clearing the snow along this section of Southland Drive SW: one focusing on sidewalks and pathways, and another on the bus stop and median. 

Multiple contractors working in the same area is something Ratliffe said he has noticed.

“It’s not unusual for the transit stop to get shovelled, but not anything leading to it,” he said. 

Referring to the pile left at the end of last month, he said he is unsure whether this is the most efficient way to handle weather events. 

“The fact that people — city employees, city contractors — can go by clearing the sidewalk and see this mess and not flag it, I mean, that’s another thing that I don’t understand,” said Ratliffe. 

“That’s accountability and responsibility. It’s not just the senior managers that are failing, it’s every level.”

Ratliffe said he and other Southwood residents first started reporting this to the city more than a decade ago, and that this is when the pattern began, where the site was cleared only after reports were filed. 

He said they felt dissatisfied with the city’s efforts and began contacting Mayor Jeromy Farkas, who was the city councillor for Ward 11 between 2017 and 2021. Ratliffe said that this has continued today and that they have reached out to Coun. Rob Ward, who said he first received concerns about this in January. Ward said he welcomes the conversation. 

“That’s where our office comes in,” said Ward. 

“We’ve been clear with everybody that we meet and talk to that if you feel that you’re not getting a proper resolution to a problem, that’s what our office is here for, and we will advocate on your behalf to make sure that action is taken care of.”

‘Dangerous’ crosswalk warrants attention, says Coun. Ward

Coun. Ward said his office helped accelerate snow clearing at the crosswalk in recent weeks by repeatedly reminding the administration that piles are a serious mobility obstacle.

“I know this crossing well — it’s had a lot of upgrades over the years, just because of how dangerous it is,” said Ward.

Ratliffe noted flashing pedestrian lights, stairs, railings, and a wheelchair ramp as infrastructure installed at the site since he first moved to the area 21 years ago. 

He said that his neighbours include everyone from toddlers to senior adults, and that accessibility is needed during the winter months, when snow and ice hinder the use of strollers and walkers.

“It genuinely is a risk,” he said. 

“If someone slips on the ice, falls into traffic, and is killed, my email records will simply go to an accident lawyer.”

Coun. Ward encouraged residents to continue filing reports through 311, but if they feel their concerns remain unaddressed, he stressed that his office is happy to escalate matters to ensure they are corrected — something he believes has already helped. 

“I think they have an idea now of what the issues are at that crosswalk,” said Ward. 

“So hopefully, there’s a greater awareness, and it can be taken care of properly in the future.”