How to Participate

Gear up! Be sure you are dressed comfortably for winter work and have the right tools for the job. A heavy-duty steel shovel or ice scraper designed for breaking up icy and firmly packed snow is essential for corners and curb cuts, as is a standard all-purpose snow shovel.

Left: Steel shovel; Right: Standard all-purpose snow shovel

Shovels
Then you can navigate to the Ithaca Snow Angels web app to get started!
ithacamaps.org/snowangels

Technical Requirements

  1. This web app will work on most desktop and mobile browsers if two settings are enabled:
    • You must allow the website to access your location
    • Your browser must enable third party cookies to use Google login. Browsers that block cookies, such as DuckDuckGo, may not work.
  2. You will need a Google login
  3. You must physically be located in the City of Ithaca, in the vicinity of the spot you are reporting or requesting.
  4. Be prepared to take photos of your reported corner, and a before and after photo if you are logging a shoveled corner.

How the Web App Works

The program relies on "reporters" as well as "shovelers", so anyone can help out!

If you see a corner in need of clearing, simply find the corner on a map, click REQUEST A SNOW ANGEL, take a photo of the spot in need. You have now logged a corner as a "reporter". Make sure you select the correct corner!

submit a photo

The corner will be flagged with a red pin and listed as in need of a Snow Angel.

requested corners turn red

Snow Angels looking to help out with shoveling will be notified or will see the red pin and will shovel the corner you have reported. Or you can shovel it yourself! When you're done shoveling, click on the red pin and then RECORD A SHOVELING JOB. The app will request that you take a photo of the cleared corner.

respond to a request to shovel

Upload the photo of the cleared corner for approval to earn points. The corner will turn yellow as it awaits admin approval.

shoveled corners turn yellow

Example: Before Pic

Before 4

Example: After Pic

File_005(1)

Earn points for the corners you've cleared. Check out the leader board to see how you rank and other players' activity.

leaderboard

Please remember snow shoveling is strenuous activity!

shoveling is strenuous
Questions? Concerns? Technical Support? Feedback? Reach out to the snow angels team anytime at snowangels@cityofithaca.org