‘I’m in my own prison’: Cambridge, Ont. wheelchair user stuck in home due to inadequate snow clearing

A man from Cambridge, Ont. tells CTV’s Alexandra Holyk he feels like a prisoner in his own home due to snow clearing concerns.

A Cambridge, Ont. resident says he hasn’t left his home in nearly one month because he can’t get his powerchair through snow-covered sidewalks.

“I’ve been out once this year,” Shawn Hass said in an interview with CTV News Thursday.

When Hass last left his home on Jan. 9, he was on his way to purchase a birthday cake for his wife, Tracy. However, he said he encountered some treacherous conditions.

“It was all snow-covered and so I’m reaching over, trying to hit the (crosswalk) button. Because I can’t get close enough, I spin out a couple of times,” said Hass. “I almost dropped the cake.”

While Hass made it home safely, the snow-covered streets and sidewalks have forced him to put his life on pause. In the last month, Hass said he’s missed critical medical appointments and social gatherings.

“I’m basically stuck in my house until whoever — whether it be the city or the region — figures out how they can get this done,” he said.

In the meantime, the situation has taken a toll on Hass’s mental health.

“It’s making me feel like I’m in my own prison,” he said. “Or my house has become my prison because I can’t get out.”

While the last month may have been lonely for Hass, he isn’t alone.

“It really becomes hard in the winter,” said Devin Sisak, an advocate for people with mobility issues and the founder of Barrier-free Cambridge. “Every time you turn around, you find a barrier with snow removal.”

Sisak’s 13-year-old son, Holden, uses a wheelchair. Sisak said a lack of snow clearing sends a clear sign to those with mobility issues.

“The message that’s sent by unclear paths is really that their presence there is optional,” he said.

In a statement to CTV News, the City of Cambridge confirmed it is responsible for clearing the sidewalk on Cedar Street, but it said contractors are in charge of the crosswalk.

“We became aware of issues with the winter maintenance at this particular crossing in January and have addressed it with the contractor,” said Michael Hausser, the city’s director of operations. “While primary winter maintenance on sidewalks do happen within the 36-hour timeline of a snow fall, there may still be some windrows between roads/sidewalks/crosswalks that will be a challenge to navigate.”

Hass said he hopes his plea helps get him and others out the door.

“It’s not just me talking about me,” he said. “Almost anybody that has to walk through eight, nine inches of snow with ice underneath it ... the city’s not doing what they’re supposed to do. It’s not right at all.”

Hausser also said the city is working on solutions with staff and contractors to reduce some of the challenges faced by Hass and others across Cambridge.

Hass said he reached out to the city and elected officials in his neighbourhood but hasn’t heard back.