HOLYOKE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) — Icy, snowy, uncleared sidewalks in one local community could lead to folks getting fined.

Residents in Holyoke have 24 hours after a storm to clear their sidewalks or could face a $50 fine, but Mayor Joshua Garcia said the city has options to help those who are elderly, disabled or unable to do the work themselves.

Garcia took to Facebook following recent winter weather to remind residents of their shared responsibility in keeping the community safe and accessible. The city’s ordinance requires residents to have their adjacent sidewalks free and clear from snow and ice within 24 hours after a storm.

Those who don’t comply could face up to $50 in fines for each violation. But Garcia said he understands there are different factors at play.

“And then the community has to do their responsibilities, shoveling the sidewalks. But then you get the issue of, hey, the guys are plowing the snow right back into the side. And, well, that’s part of the working together, right, because there’s no easy way to effectively plow without, you know, doing that. And so it just requires patience and people working together through the storm to protect the public, our shared responsibility,” Garcia said.

On Tuesday one resident came up to our Western Mass News crew with that very same concern about the plows, though they did not want to speak on camera. However, Mayor Garcia told us there are ways to work around this issue.

If you can’t clear your sidewalk, the Mayor said you can call his office and they will see what they can do to help.

The city also has a system called ‘See Click Fix’ which allows residents to report issues like icy streets or walkways to the city directly. Michael Gallagher, interim director of Holyoke’s Department of Public Works, said it has been an extremely helpful tool.

“Our eyes cannot be everywhere all at once and things do get missed. But people who are in certain streets or in their own neighborhood, they’re going to notice it and it’s a good way for them to effectively relay the information to us,” Gallagher told us.

For emergencies, residents should call the Department of Public Works directly or the police department since ‘See Click Fix’ is not monitored 24/7.

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