The city of Edmonton is hoping to minimize slips and falls as soon as possible by restarting the community sandbox program as early as the end of next week.
About 150 sandboxes will be returned to participating community leagues by the end of this week, with plans to fill them with sand the next.
City council voted to restore the program on Tuesday.
It had been cut back this winter to save the city approximately $300,000. The city said bringing the community sandboxes back will not affect the current budget because they saved money in the snow and ice program in January.
Instead of sand at community leagues, the program had been changed to provide free sand at just five roadway maintenance yards across Edmonton.
Edmontonians will still be able to pick up sand at the five yards.
A city review of the snow and ice control programs for roads, trails, and sidewalks continues. A report to city council on possible changes to those programs will be presented in June.