Spring has arrived – and both the Town of Whitby and Clarington are beginning spring cleaning, as well as property repair and maintenance work from today.
Whitby has permitted property maintenance businesses to operate as of May 4.
Residents will see staff out in the community doing a variety of necessary work to ensure public safety. This work includes road surface repairs, street sweeping, weed control and grass cutting. Staff will also be cutting and pruning trees in certain areas to ensure that they are not blocking roadway sightlines or creating a safety hazard. As the need for physical distancing during Covid-19 continues, staff will be required to take separate vehicles to worksites and avoid personal contact with others, said a Whitby statement.
It said residents are also beginning their own seasonal clean-up.
Currently, landscaping, property maintenance and lawn care businesses are permitted to provide the following services:
- Removal of hazardous trees
- Pool and boundary fence repairs
- Roofing repair
- Debris and garbage removal
- Window replacement for broken or leaking windows
As of Monday, May 4, these businesses will also be permitted to undertake the following services necessary for the safety, security and/or sanitation of a property:
• Lawn/grass cutting, dethatching, rolling and aeration
• Clearing yard and garden debris; and,
• Weed clearing and prevention
These services help to ensure properties remain safe and that property standards are met as the weather gets warmer. It’s important to note that provincial regulations currently restrict landscaping, property maintenance and lawn care businesses from offering a number of other services, including new landscaping projects being done only for aesthetic reasons, or the construction of new decks or patios, the Whitby statement said.
It said anyone undertaking property maintenance work should continue to follow the advice of health officials. This includes:
• Practicing physical distancing – staying six feet (two metres) away from others living outside of your home
• Staying home if sick
• Washing hands with soap and water frequently (for at least 20 seconds)
• Cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces frequently
Businesses and their staff should also follow these additional recommended health precautions:
• Encouraging workers to wear non-medical face masks
• Having no more than five workers at a worksite
• Requiring any workers who have travelled outside of Canada, or have symptoms of COVID-19, to self-isolate
Clarington begins spring cleaning and repair work
The Municipality of Clarington is moving forward with its spring cleaning, repair and maintenance operations.
Staff will be out doing a variety of necessary work to ensure public safety while following strict Covid-19 health and safety protocols.
Each year, the municipality moves forward with some crucial work, including road repairs. Clarington has legislated obligations under the Provincial Minimum Maintenance Standards to ensure that municipal roads are in a good state of repair. Under these standards, municipal roads are classified based on traffic volume and speed. This classification sets out how often a road is inspected and how quickly any found issues must be repaired. Clarington staff will proceed with road surface repairs, sweeping, ditching and grass cutting as needed, said a municipal statement.
It said due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the municipality has changed its work protocols to adhere to physical distancing guidelines. This means that staff are required to take separate vehicles to worksites to ensure distancing. They are also required to change how they carry out their work to avoid personal contact.
Clarington crews will also address some of the backlog of forestry work orders. Residents will see staff cutting and pruning trees in certain areas to ensure that they are not blocking sightlines and are safe for drivers or pedestrians. Trees removed as a result of infestation by the Emerald Ash Borer beetle will be replanted with a variety of different species. The majority of the infected trees have now been removed. Clarington is redeploying staff members from departments that are affected by facility closures to assist with some of this work, the statement said.
Clarington will continue to maintain and cut the grass on boulevards, sports fields and in parks. This will help reduce ticks.
“Many of the services that Clarington provides are continuing as we support our community. We’ve had to adapt and adjust the way we work to ensure that we are following strict Public Health guidelines,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster.
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