Being spared from a “Snowmageddon 2.0” has a lot of people breathing a sigh of relief. But Danforth Avenue shops are finding it doesn’t solve the problems left behind from the first snowstorm.
With mountains of snow on both sides of the sidewalk, local resident Vic Salerno has been dealing with the problem since the snowstorm on Jan 17.
“You can’t get onto the bus,” Salerno said. “The snow is all piled up and there are no areas that have been cleared out so I can board transit.”
Plows have cleared a walking path along the sidewalk. However, slush, black ice, and pooling water cover the streets in the area making it hard for people to step onto the road.
Local business Fire & Flower Cannabis, which opened its doors on the Danforth in December 2021, has been facing challenges building a customer base through the winter weather.
Tabisha Coombs is one of its employees tasked with clearing the snow throughout their shift.
“It’s slower than usual, especially with the snow,” she said. “We’re just waiting to see what the city will do, like everyone else on the Danforth.”
The store has had to deal with the snow ever since it’s opened, Coombs said. It’s been an added threat on top of the Omicron variant deterring customers.
Also feeling the brunt of the weather, Dylan Barton at 180 Smoke on Danforth is having similar issues even after being established for six years.
“About 50 per cent of our customer base are people who are new to the industry,” Barton said. “Those people are not going to come when the weather is like this.”
The store’s regulars will come in regardless of rain or shine, Barton said. “But with less access to those new customers, a lot is left on the table.”