The Council on Aging of Ottawa

coa@coaottawa.ca | (613) 789-3577
coa@coaottawa.ca | (613) 789-3577
An older person taking in a public bus

Snow Moles 2024

Age-Friendly Winter Walkability and Pedestrian Safety Audits for Seniors and Other Valuable Pedestrians

Cartoon drawing of a snow mole

SNOW MOLES are volunteers who report on what it is like to walk outside on a winter day.

You are invited to ensure healthy, accessible, and safe winter walking conditions in Ottawa, by becoming a SNOW MOLE and completing a Winter Walkability and Pedestrian Safety Questionnaire. Your answers will be part of a 2023 Winter Walking in Ottawa: Snow Mole Report shared with the City of Ottawa for a better understanding of the safety of winter walking in Ottawa.

You can be a snow mole:

  1. When you go out for an errand or a walk, please use the Snow Mole Questionnaire to note features and conditions that are “safe” (e.g., a bench cleared of snow) as well as “unsafe” (e.g., snow piled up in intersections).
  2. We encourage you to take and submit photos of both safe and unsafe features and conditions. If possible, include street signs in your photo to locate the feature and condition. 
  3. Complete the questionnaire online or drop off/mail it to The Council on Aging of Ottawa (815-217 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, ON K1K 3A7).

For more information, contact us at afo@coaottawa.ca 
or 613-789-3577 ext. 3

Community Leaders

Alta Vista
Bonnie Schroeder
b.schroeder@coaottawa.ca

Civic Hospital
Mary Haller
mary.haller@brunt.name

Fisher Heights
Jayne Belanger
jayne.belanger1957@gmail.com

Kanata North (Beaverbrook)
Julie Gourley
julie@jakeland.ca

Old Ottawa East
Dianne Breton
rdbreton@rogers.com

Overbrook / Vanier
Carole Larose
ggrrlsx2@gmail.com

Stittsville
Mary Nash
mmcbnash@gmail.com

Centretown
Sandra Stec
sandrastec@gmail.com

Crystal Bay
Kathy Riley
kathyriley@rogers.com

Glebe
Mary Gick
mgick@sympatico.ca

Kanata South (Bridlewood)
Annette Keough
annettekeough@gmail.com

Old Ottawa South
Anna Cuylits
acuylits@magma.ca

Sandy Hill
Judy Rinfret
jrinfret20@gmail.com

Westboro
Sally Scott
sallymscott1@gmail.com

Centretown
James White
jrussellwhite18@gmail.com

Cumberland
Ardyth Elliott
Ardyth@rogers.com

Hintonburg
Cheryl Parrott
cheryl.vance@sympatico.ca

Kinburn (West Carleton)
Mary Porritt
maryporritt65@gmail.com

Ottawa West
Min Ku
mku070@gmail.com

South Keys
Jennifer Brooks
jbroo@sympatico.ca

Partners

KDS Village
Lisa Hollingshead
lisahollingshead@kdsvillage.ca

Carlington Community Health Centre
Hilary Rose
hrose@carlingtonchc.org

Tips for Winter Walking

There is nothing like taking a walk to enjoy the beauty of the season – and walking is one of the best ways to keep healthy. On the other hand, winter can be a challenging time of year to get out and about. Here are some tips for safer walking outdoors in winter.

Snow Mole Report 2022

2022 Rapport Taupes des neiges: Peut-on marcher en toute sécurité en hiver à Ottawa?

2022 Snow Mole Report: How Safe is Winter Walking in Ottawa?

The Snow Mole Campaign is an Age-Friendly winter project of the Pedestrian Safety & Walkability (PS&W) Sub-committee of the Ottawa Seniors Transportation Committee (OSTC) of the Council on Aging of Ottawa (COA).

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