A website launched by the City of Winnipeg to warn the public about icy sidewalks has been taken offline because it was publicly mocked so much.

Surefoot.org was launched in February 2012 to provide updates on winter sidewalk conditions based on observations from city street maintenance staff.

The website was created by the city, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and the University of Winnipeg as a public safety tool.

But people mocked Surefoot.org from the time it was launched, frustrating project partners like Gina Sylvestre, a researcher with the university.

"We're looking at an issue that I think everyone can understand why it's an issue, and yet the type of feedback we were getting was that it was something that was useless," she said.

The website ranked sidewalks with ratings ranging from "easy" to "hazardous," with the latter taking effect whenever there was freezing rain.

"There's been a lot of reaction to it that was not necessarily positive — a lot of criticism … about it being too simplistic and of having little value," said Sylvestre.

She insisted that the information on Surefoot.org was up-to-date and relevant.

Was 1st city with online bulletin

Winnipeg was heralded as being the first city to offer an online bulletin for slippery sidewalks.

At the time of its launch, Surefoot.org was promoted by Coun. Harvey Smith, who was recovering from a broken hip after falling on an ice-slicked sidewalk near city hall.

Smith told CBC News what the website needed was better marketing.

The website did help some Winnipeggers like Rob Minuk, who gets around the city in a wheelchair but rarely uses the sidewalks in the winter because they're too dangerous.

"I dread this time of year," he said on Wednesday. "This morning I fell on a patch of ice. I had to wait for somebody to help me."