So, how did everyone enjoy our "second winter"? It's fair to say that the amount of snow, and its particular brand of wet icy malice, was absurd. But what was more absurd was the mountains of frozen ice many of us found at our crosswalks, sidewalks and bus stops.

This isn't to finger-point at citizens in Waterloo Region. Most of us did our best. Clearing that icy sludge is not fun, and for any seniors or people with accessibility issues, it's impossible. Even the most able among us risked our backs and joints trying to do our civic duty.

The problem with leaving this responsibility to each individual property owner is that it only works if everyone does it. For those pushing strollers, people in wheelchairs, or those with even minor mobility issues, one person who doesn't shovel their sidewalk negates all the hard work of everyone else. This can mean game over trying to do basic things like getting to work, shops or school.

Both streets and sidewalks are public spaces that are vital for well-functioning cities. Why do we expect that our governments will organize snow removal in one part of this space (i.e. streets), but not in others?

After our lost spring weekend, the question lingers. What would it cost of the city to shovel our sidewalks? Let's call it universal snow removal. The cost to do this, as was presented to Kitchener city council in 2016, was a mere $26 annually for the average household. Council rejected the idea of universal snow removal and, as a result, we continue to face obstacle courses on our sidewalks and crosswalks. If your neighbour's daughter knocked on your door and offered to shovel all pathways adjacent your property for the entire year for $26, would you say yes?

Our problem is that we've lost some faith in what small incremental taxation can actually achieve. This is an example of where we can pool our resources for greater efficiency, equity, convenience and safety. And for the staunchest neo-liberals out there, this isn't arts funding, or even public transit, this is snow removal. In Canada. If we all kick in a few bucks every year we will never have to shovel the sidewalk again.

This is more than convenience, or placating those in the urban core with high walkability scores. It's about safety. Many seniors, for example, either because of pride or fixed income, shovel. It can be dangerous for them. It is also a safety issue for those walking on unshovelled and untreated sidewalks, or trying to climb over snowbanks to simply cross the street. For many in our community, routes they regularly use become impassable, and because you never know where these obstacles are going to occur, many don't venture outside.

It's also a gender issue. First, fewer women own and drive cars, and therefore they make up a slight majority of pedestrians. Second, women are often the primary caregiver for children. Every person pushing a stroller came to at least one dead-end this weekend. Some had help from good Samaritans navigating the ice barriers. Many did not, and risked their own safety. Many others simply stayed indoors.

And if you're thinking everyone should relax, and just work from home until this all melts away, try telling that to the Tim Hortons employee, or anyone else working in jobs like it, who must turn up to work on time. Often, it's the less affluent among us who rely on our sidewalks the most, either because they walk or take the bus.

Finally, let's consider the identity of the Region. Would barn-raisers balk at $25 a year to pitch in to work together to ensure the safety of seniors, mothers, and everyone else? And have you been to the Innovation District lately? It's a snowy disaster, nearly unwalkable. It's not a great first impression for any tech talent looking to relocate. If the shuttered storefronts don't scare them off, the icy sidewalks won't help. It's embarrassing.

Our region needs to start thinking progressively. As our region grows, we have more economies of scale to offer more services to more people. Doesn't universal snow removal sound like something an innovation hub would do? It would be about $2 per month in property taxes to ensure we have equity in how we can get around in winter. We just need the social licence to do so.

Brian Doucet, Jennifer Dean, Carrie Mitchell and Sam Toman are in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo.