Watch group claims neighbour was up to snow good
A homemade ski hill has been taken down by a neighbourhood watch group following numerous complaints.
Allie Pine was confronted by the Sandy Hill Safety Collective (SHSC) for creating the ski hill following a dramatic snowstorm.
The collective claims the ski hill surpassed by-law standards for owning snow structures, which is restricted to a maximum of 3ft. in height.
“It was just so irresponsible of her,” said Scott Plow, the vice-secretary of SHSC. “Skiing is a concerning activity as is, but on a 7ft. hill? Ridiculous.”
Pine, who takes frequent ski trips with her family, decided to create a makeshift hill for her three kids to practice while at home.
“I just wanted to brighten their weekend a bit,” said Pine. “Why is there a by-law for how much snow a resident can have?”
Snow Upkeep By-law no. 420/2020 outlines certain standards for snow possession in the city. Section 34 states “no Ottawa resident may possess more than 3ft. of snow on their person.”
This isn’t Pine’s first run-in with SHSC; she claims members of the collective harassed her son’s lemonade stand last year.
“He’s just a nine-year-old selling lemonade,” said Pine. “I feel like some of these parents have too much time on their hands.”
Plow defends the group’s frequent activity, arguing the collective exists for the safety of the neighbourhood.
“You never know what people are doing in their backyards — that’s where we step in,” said Plow. “Today it’s a ski hill, but tomorrow it could be a meth lab. We believe it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
