In fact, many of the roads that lead to a neighbourhood of cottages are private roads – owned and maintained by a single property owner or a group of residents. Cottage owners are responsible for plowing private roads in the winter. In other seasons, residents along a private road apply gravel, grade the passageway, and fill pot holes. Perhaps you have a cottage – or you’re contemplating buying one – and you don’t see the need to plow the private road that leads to the cottage. After all, you do not plan to visit your cottage in the winter – only in the summer and the shoulder seasons. As long-time cottage-country residents, we believe it’s a good idea to make sure the private road that leads to your cottage is accessible and passable throughout the year. Although you may not visit your cottage in the winter, emergency vehicles may need to get there. Similarly, people decide against clearing their driveway of snow because they never use their cottage in the winter. Nonetheless, despite your absence, there are good reasons to have your driveway plowed to ensure it is accessible.
An accessible road and driveway are critical during a fire emergency
Accessibility is critical in an emergency, such as fire, when minutes – and seconds – count. The City of Kawartha Lakes, which is a composite fire department, has 21 fire halls. Three fire halls within the municipality – Bobcaygeon, Omemee, and Lindsay – have full-time coverage. Full-time firefighters work at the fire halls in Bobcaygeon and Omemee during days from Monday to Friday. Volunteer firefighters provide coverage on evenings and weekends and when additional manpower is necessary. The fire hall in Lindsay is covered 24 hours a day, seven days a week by full-time firefighters with a complement of volunteer firefighters. Fire departments with full-time staff typically service the residences within a reasonable distance of these larger communities. Part-time volunteer firefighters man the other 18 fire halls within the City of Kawartha Lakes. In fact, many small rural communities and surrounding areas in Ontario rely on volunteer firefighters. They are well-trained to deal with a range of emergencies, such as medical first response, vehicle extrication, water and ice rescue, structural fires, and land (forest and field) fires. Local governments employ firefighters in Ontario. Contrary to popular thought, volunteer firefighters receive compensation for their services. Volunteer firefighters typically have other full-time work. They are called when there is a fire or other emergency. Volunteer firefighters need to assemble at the fire hall before they are in a position to respond to an emergency. For this reason, the emergency response times for communities without full-time firefighters are typically longer. And when you start with the absence of a nearby fully-staffed fire hall and add other factors – such as country roads, poor driving conditions, and a remote location – the response time can be longer. A snow-ridden private road or driveway that firefighters are unable to navigate with their emergency vehicles may tip the balance. Fire hydrants aren’t common along the rural roads of cottage country. As a result, if there’s a structural fire on a country road, the firefighting crew arrives at the scene with a pumper truck – a large vehicle with a ready source of water. The primary water tank, which is inside the truck, can sometimes hold 1,000 gallons of water. If the firefighting crew is unable to drive a pumper truck down the private road or your driveway, and an alternative source of water is unavailable, the results could be catastrophic. After all, a few minutes can swing the balance between saving a burning structure and losing it to fire. Ready access to your property, which means a passable road and driveway, is critical in the event of an emergency, which can unfold at any time of the year.
Other service vehicles need to be able to access your road
Other vehicles – like garbage trucks and hydro trucks – won’t be able to pick up garbage or repair damaged power lines if they can’t drive down a private road in the winter. Service vehicles also require sufficient clearance to turn around at the end of a road, which may be impossible with thick snow. It’s also important that rural roads are sanded to ensure these large vehicles can navigate them. If freezing rain has created an icy surface, it may be difficult to drive the vehicle back up the road if the incline is considerable.
Creating goodwill with your neighbours at the cottage
People with cottages further down your road may visit their weekend retreats during the winter. For this reason, the section of road adjacent to your cottage will need to be clear to allow for access to their property. As mentioned earlier, owners of cottages on a private access road are responsible for the road’s maintenance. They typically create a group to arrange and pay for road maintenance services – from grading and pothole repairs to snow clearance and sanding. The individual property owners or at least the members of the group – share the annual costs to maintain the private road. The road maintenance bill for each cottage owner is usually $200 to $300 per year. Contributing to a group fund to plow snow from the road – even if you don’t use the cottage in the winter – helps to build goodwill with your neighbours along the private road to your getaway. It’s a wise expenditure. Your neighbours in cottage country will appreciate your gesture. In turn, they will likely look out for your interests or keep an eye on your property when you’re not there. In sum, there are many good reasons to plow your road and your driveway at the cottage during the winter.
Photo courtesy of cheerfulmonk No Alterations Made - Creative Commons
