Citywide sidewalk shoveling contest

[turil.livejournal.com]

It's a little known fact that this is Somerville's first year holding this contest. It's an even littler known fact as to what the winners receive. But it's kind of interesting nonetheless...

BEST SHOVELED BLOCK
IN SOMERVILLE CONTEST
Does your block have well shoveled sidewalks?
Nominate it for the Best Shoveled Block in Somerville Contest,
sponsored by the Somerville Post Office, Green Streets and
Shape Up Somerville.
Nominations can be sent to Margaret Dimock, Somerville Post Office Station Master,
via emailed (Margaret.C.Dimock@usps.gov), USPS mail (Margaret Dimock, Somerville Post
Office Station Master, 237 Washington Street, Somerville, MA 02143-9998) or called in at (617) 666-2332.
Nominations will be due on Walk/Ride Day, February 25, 2011. The judges? Letter carriers,
who use the sidewalks every day!
The winner will be awarded at a ceremony at the Somerville Post Office on Walk/Ride Day, March 25, 2011.

Green Streets has some more information about it. Oh, and it's in both Cambridge and Somerville, for those of you who are in the Cambridge side of the Davis Square world.

Comments

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

I wish the city just enforced the shoveling laws already in place.

The prize is you don't get a $50 dollar ticket every day you don't shovel! And the prize to the city is that the worst-shoveled streets pay more to the city than parking tickets.

Next let's have a contest and give a prize to the people who park in front of fire-hydrants least frequently.

[Nothing against Green Streets for taking this initiative, it just crazy pisses me off that we have to try to bribe people to uphold their basic civic responsibilities and to not break the law.]

[turil.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't know if there is a prize. There is no information on at that at all. Sorry.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

You receive this laurel & hardy handshake.

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

I think this is a great idea! This way, if there's One Holdout on a block that just Isn't Doing Their Share (or is ill, or depressed, or out of town, or fighting with their housemates about which person is responsible this snowstorm, etc) the neighborhood might get together and Just Do It so they'd be in the running for the win. Or perhaps one soul might just use his/her snowblower to swipe their little block instead of just their own little world. And also the parking on that block would be more easily accessible as well! I'm sure the contest takes into consideration not merely sidewalks, but driveways, on street parking, and walks up to houses/doors and maybe even oil tank access and fire hydrants!

[unferth.livejournal.com]

I'd feel better about the Shape Up Somerville and Green Streets involvement if there were some way to exclude blocks "shoveled" with snow-blowers. My sidewalks aren't pristine, but on the other hand I didn't burn any fossil fuels to get them into their current state.

[cosinezero.livejournal.com]

You get... your mail!

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

I admit I would also like to see a Worst-Shoveled-Block contest. Particularly if city property is eligible to win. Er, lose. Hm. Whichever.

I also wonder what the prize would be for that ;).

[oneagain.livejournal.com]

How Going Postal-esque (for those unfamiliar with Terry Tratchett, apologies).

[justjess.livejournal.com]

Don't you mean Pratchett?

[oneagain.livejournal.com]

Y, yis, yis I du. Speling's uh bit of this daze. Thanx fer katching et:)

[ron_newman]

I agree. Have you suggested this to them?

[dashford.livejournal.com]

I'd feel better if there were some way to exclude blocks cleared with shovels made of rainforest hardwood.

Yes I'm being sarcastic.

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

i absolutely agree that it's just fucking sad we are as a society constantly bribing/rewarding people for simply doing their jobs and acting like decent human beings.

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

I want to have any block excluded that isn't cleared with cruelty-free shovels made with no animal products and hand-crushed rock salt.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

You can't use salt! Salt kills plants!!! SAND ONLY.

[unferth.livejournal.com]

How would you possibly enforce it? It's not a serious suggestion, just a sort of a minor eye-roll at the juxtaposition.

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

Sand upsets the delicate balance of the ecosystem by removing it from other areas! So because I've respected the delicate balance of nature, I'm okay with my sidewalks looking shitty.

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

I nominate the section of sidewalk running parallel to 58 Grove St., alongside the bus approach to the T station.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

Cambridge recomments calcium chloride, says potassium chloride is ok, and highly discourages sodium chloride or sand. They say sand actually makes things worse for pedestrians, and makes a mess in the spring.