Limited availability of public services in small towns

The maintenance of basic public services which residents in small communities have come to expect is increasingly difficult due to high costs; and schools, banking services, post office and other services tend to be consolidated with nearby towns. Although these services exist, their delivery and maintenance in rural areas tend to be incomplete and do not meet people's needs. For example: absence of public transport limits the mobility of senior citizens and youth beyond the boundaries of their own community; medical services located outside a community lead to an emphasis on curative health instead of preventative health; police forces operating on a reduced time basis result in city ordinances covering vandalism and other public nuisances regularly going unenforced; already significant traffic hazards for children and pedestrians are further increased in the winter due to the length of time it takes some communities to clean the streets of snow and ice; play areas are not supervised and not protected with traffic signs; lack of day-care structures prevents some mothers from working, and parents seldom participate in activities beyond the family.