Tenleytowners digging each other out

Like most Washingtonians, I’m sick of trudging over the snow. I’m especially tired of walking over increasingly icy sidewalks that should have been shoveled by the adjacent property owners. It is, after all, required by law that all sidewalks be cleared within eight hours of final snowfall.

But rather than complain, shame them in a listserv they’ll never read, demand government assistance, or report them to the government, some Tenleytowners are going to just clear the snow for the public good. In doing so, we will make the area safer for residents and name the businesses that failed in their legal and civic responsibility.

Jon Bender and I are organizing the First Tenleytown Volunteer Snow Removal Battalion. At 4 pm this afternoon 3 pm tomorrow, we will go forth from the Tenleytown Metro entrance to destroy the slush piles. We will clear paths through sidewalks swamped by plowed snow, unusable bus stops, several elderly residents, and even a few frontages untouched by those responsible for them.

To prevent any businesses from taking advantage of our labor, we will post “You’re Welcome” posters on the windows of miscreants and publish names and photographs of them online. I hope that residents will participate in a brief boycott of listed organizations.

Finally, at the end of the event we will have a huge snowball fight. The location is yet to be determined, but it will probably happen in Fort Reno Park.

There is a Facebook page for the event, the Tenleytown Insurrectional Snow Cleanup and Snowball Fight, and you can read the genesis of the idea on the Tenleytown listserv.

Other neighborhoods. Rather than suffering through another few days of slush and ice, it would be a testament to the strength of DC communities to dig out together for each others’ benefit. You can even use our shaming sign (PDF).

Stay tuned for a followup post tomorrow.

Update: Due to the ongoing blizzard, this event has been rescheduled for 3 pm tomorrow (Thursday).