Warm days and cold nights have many Jasperites debating whether to wear shoes or skates on their walk through town, as icy sidewalks are becoming much more prevalent.

Bumps, bruises and broken bones are showing up in the emergency room as a result of falls on the ice.

Bylaw Licensing and enforcement manager Doug Rodwell warns residents to be cautious at this time of year.

“Because of the weather, conditions evolve quickly. I encourage people to be extremely careful,” said Rodwell.

While the melt is an annual event, it appears to have come earlier this year, as temperatures have risen above zero many times in February.

Bylaw officers are responsible for removing ice from municipal land, while residents and business owners are responsible for the sidewalks in front of their buildings. The town uses a mixture of sand and salt designed to melt the ice quickly for the icy patches.

“We’re pretty proactive. I tell the officers to look for icy patches when they’re on patrol, and we respond pretty quickly to complaints.” Rodwell said.

The municipality provides free sand for pickup in the municipal parking lot to the public in order to assist with road clean-up.

Residents who are unable to clean their own sidewalk can also sign up for the volunteer shovelling program. The program is widely used by seniors in the community, and those in need of help can contact Rodwell at 780-852-3014, ext. 22.

Those who see an icy patch on municipal land are encouraged to call 780-852-5514.