Have shovel, will travel: Volunteers answer Boston's call for help after blizzard

The city of Boston asked for volunteers to help shovel neighborhood sidewalks and crosswalks after Monday's blizzard — and people answered the call.

About half a dozen residents arrived with shovels in hand on Hyde Park Avenue in Jamaica Plain Tuesday. It was one of 16 snow shovel meet-ups organized by the city.

Deputy Director of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services Cecily Graham greeted volunteers at the site, which was across the street from the MBTA’s Forest Hill station. She said the area was flagged by a “number of residents” after a January snowstorm that dumped more than 20 inches of fluff on the city.

Snow removal became a hot button issue in Boston following the storm, with residents complaining about unshoveled sidewalks and impassable corners. So on Tuesday, the group focused on clearing snow from curb ramps at intersections and crosswalks.

“We had some concerns about accessibility issues and wanted to make sure that we were here to address that,” Graham said.

Among the shovelers was Katarina Torres Radisic who leads the disability advocacy organization Riders’ Transportation Access Group, which advises the MBTA on accessibility matters. The meet-up was their first time out since the blizzard passed. Torres Radisic, who was one of many people who shared concerns about accessibility following January's storm, said they met with Mayor Michelle Wu over the weekend “to discuss snow removal and their plan.”

“From personal experience, I'd say that the city has done a better job so far. So I'm curious to see how the rest of the city looks when I venture out further,” they said.

Holly Crowe became aware of the meet-up through a Facebook post. She said her gym was closed for the day and figured shoveling would make for a good workout.

“Credit to my husband who dug out our house this morning so I could come out here and help with the community,” she said.

Henry Nelson said he was immediately onboard with the shoveling effort after hearing about it from his roommate.

“ I like being active, I like doing something useful and especially if it's helps other people out. So it just kind of checks all the boxes.” he said.

Residents can report snow removal concerns by calling 311. The city plans to hold a hearing on snow removal on March 3.