An advocate for safe and accessible sidewalks in the winter says she was “shocked” that the city’s lead on inclusion voted against sidewalk snow clearing in St. John’s.

Anne Malone is blind and gets around the city with the use of a service dog.

She says there has been a “long-standing, persistent, historical, disregard and dismissal” of the rights of people with disabilities to get around with a reasonable expectation of safety.

That’s why she was so upset when Councillor Deanne Stapleton voted against the sidewalk snow clearing. She calls that a “gobsmacking betrayal” of the people in the disability community.

In an open letter on Facebook, Malone vented her frustration and disappointment.

https://www.facebook.com/anne.malone3/posts/10164353425640048