Summary
Winter is an important cause of isolation for older adults, especially when their driveways are temporarily unusable due to snow and ice accumulation. In 2013/2014, the City of Ottawa Public Works Department expanded the existing Snow Go program which matches seniors with an individual or contractor to clear snow from private driveways to include a “Snow Angels” appreciation component. The purpose of the Snow Angels program is to thank residents who assist older adults and neighbours with disabilities with snow removal at their residence on a volunteer basis. Once a year, residents are invited to nominate candidates for special recognition and appreciation. The nominees are residents who help older adults or persons with a disability to improve their accessibility during the winter with shoveling and/or de-icing their private walkway and/or laneway.In 2014, there were 48 residents nominated for the Snow Angel program. An appreciation event was held in November 2014 and each nominee was presented with a Certificate signed by the Mayor and a snowflake key chain. The Program has been very well received by the community, with many nominees and their families feeling very appreciated for being recognized. To date in 2015, we have 23 nominations.
Website: http://www.ottawa.ca
Key facts
Main target group: Older people in general
Other target group(s): Older people with mobility challenges
Sector(s): Urban development
Desired outcome for older people:
Be mobile
- Accessibility
Contact details
Name: Hoskin, Tracy
Email address: tracy.hoskin@ottawa.ca
Preferred language(s): English