Weather permitting and with the help of summer students, the grass on town owned boulevards and right-of-ways is cut on a regular schedule.
Roads, Sidewalks, and Boulevards
The Town of Parry Sound's Operations department looks after all public roads, sidewalks and boulevards.
- Staff patrol and maintain the roads regularly based on priority.
- All roads in Ontario are rated as a Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, Class 4, Class 5 or Class 6 based on the speed limit that applies to the road and the average daily traffic.
- Class 1 roads are the highest priority and Class 6 roads are the lowest priority.
- Parry Sound has Class 3, 4, 5 and 6 roads only.
- If you want to know what classification a road is, please see the Road Classification Table.
Operations staff monitor:
- Road cracks
- Debris
- Drainage issues
- Road potholes
- Shoulder drop offs
- Traffic lights and street lights
- Damaged or missing street name signs, traffic signs and any other signs
Staff also check road conditions during the winter. Please see Winter Maintenance below for more information.
Areas of Operations
The Town maintains the trees that are located on public property. The Town of Parry Sound encourages the growth of healthy and attractive trees. If you think a tree needs to be trimmed or removed because of a safety hazard, please submit a report a problem or contact the Public Works department.
Tree Trimming and Tree Removal
The Town will trim or remove tree branches that are a safety hazard. We will not remove healthy trees unless they are a safety hazard. The Town will also arrange to remove dead or dying trees. The wood from a tree will be offered to the landowner who borders the Town's property.
If you think a tree is a safety hazard, please contact the Public Works Department or Report A Problem to have the tree looked at by our staff. If it turns out that the tree is not on Town property we will not trim or remove.
Tips for Healthy Trees
- Water your tree twice a week if there is little to no rain. If you are a flat rate water customer, please remember we have Water Restrictions in place between May 1 and September 30. In cooler weather, you can water less frequently.
- If you water your tree too much it will cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall off.
- If you put soil around the trunk it might cause it to decay and it can cause the tree to die.
- Use organic mulch such as shredded bark or wood chips. This can help the tree retain moisture.
- Tree stakes help to support your tree. After 2 full growing seasons, remember to remove the stakes.
Urban Tree Canopy & Native Vegetation
The Town of Parry Sound has an Urban Tree Canopy and Native Vegetation Policy in place which guides the municipality in protecting and enhancing the tree canopy and natural vegetation.
This policy applies to all properties and development, on public or private lands, in the Town of Parry Sound. It is a resource which can be referred to and utilized as guiding principles for residential, commercial and public purposes.
When reporting a problem with a street light, please include the Pole number and let us know if the light is out at all times or cycles on and off. To report a street light issue or traffic light issue please Report A Problem.
Per the Government of Ontario, all bridges in Ontario must be inspected every two years. These inspections must follow the Ontario Structure Inspection Manual (OSIM) format.
For questions regarding the OSIM reports, please contact the Public Works department.
Operations staff work very hard to keep our roads and sidewalks safe for drivers and pedestrians. Please be patient and understand that we cannot plow or sand every road at the same time. Some roads and sidewalks as well as intersections and school zones are high priority and will receive attention first.
Determined by both the speed limit that applies to the road and the average daily traffic, all roads in Ontario are rated as a Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, Class 4, Class 5 or Class 6 road. Class 1 roads are the highest priority and Class 6 roads are the lowest priority. The roads in Parry Sound are Class 3, 4, 5 or 6. If you want to know what class a road is, please see the Road Classification Table.
Staff will patrol our roads to see if they are:
- Bare and dry
- Bare and wet
- Track bare
- Center bare
- Snow covered
- Snow packed
During winter events such as snow flurries, squalls or freezing rain, staff will base their course of action on:
- Snow accumulation
- Drifting snow
- Ice covered roads
- Spot ice
- Black ice
- Frost
- Slush
Seasonal Closure of Specified Sidewalks
At the December 7, 2021 meeting, Council approved the seasonal closure of specified sidewalks with By-law 2021-7202. The following sidewalks will be closed from November 1 each year and re-opened on April 1 of each year: Park Lane, Kristen Heights, Avenue Road, Farrer Street, and Rosetta Street from James Street south side.
If you have any questions related to winter maintenance, please contact the Public Works Department.
Encroachment
An encroachment results from the use of Town property by someone for their own purpose.
It can be items of personal property, vehicles, buildings, structures, vegetation or landscaping that is wholly upon, or extends from a person's premises onto, public lands such as parks, beaches, boulevards, sidewalks, road allowances, pumping stations or parking lots.
These encroachments can have many unintended consequences. They may cause a public safety concern, environmental damage, result in restoration costs if the Town needs to remove and/or restore public property and they restrict or inhibit the use and enjoyment of public property by all residents.
Encroachments on public lands are not permitted as outlined in the Encroachment By-law 2021-7201, unless specifically authorized by the Town of Parry Sound. For further information about encroachments please contact By-law Enforcement.
Permits
Some work requires a permit to be completed. The following work may require a permit:
- Work to be done on or encroaching on Town property
- Work that will require a sidewalk to be partially or completely blocked or will present a hazard to pedestrians
- A vehicle travelling through the Town of Parry Sound with a wide load (no half load restrictions in the Town of Parry Sound)
- Extending, expanding or adding a new driveway/entrance to a Town property
If you're unsure if you require a permit, please contact the Public Works department at 705-746-2101.
Contact Us
Town of Parry Sound
52 Seguin Street
Parry Sound, ON P2A 1B4
T. (705) 746-2101
F. (705) 746-7461
Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM ET
Closed on statutory holidays