The City of Corner Brook, N.L. is defending its decision to issue a ticket to a local resident for driving his riding slowblower across the street to clear his neighbour's driveways.

City officials recently issued a written warning to Pat Hickey, accusing him of operating a recreational vehicle on a city street, which is in violation of a municipal bylaw.

The city said it remains "very concerned" about the indiscriminate use of recreational vehicles, especially those that move snow and could create a hazard for motorists, the city said in a press release.

"The City of Corner Brook will maintain its enforcement efforts in this regard," the press release stated.

Hickey has been voluntarily using his riding snowblower nearly all winter long to clear snow from many of his neighbours' driveways, most of whom are seniors.

The City of Corner Brook has gone on damage control since the media latched on to this Good Samaritan story. In an effort to shed light on the incident, Corner Brook staff detailed the exchange between Hickey and municipal enforcement officers.

On Jan. 30, Corner Brook municipal officials were out on regular patrol when they spotted Hickey perched atop his John Deere snowblower crossing the roadway, the city press release states.

The release described Hickey as proceeding on his "Lawn Tractor" in the wrong direction on Central Street -- a one-way street.

The patrolling officers verbally warned Hickey not to drive his equipment on the road, even if he was removing snow that fell the night before from neighbours' driveways.

Hickey indicated he would comply, the city memo said.

But that wouldn't be the last exchange between Corner Brook enforcement officers and Hickey.

Later that day, officers noticed a roaming dog on Central Street and approached Hickey again.

Hickey confirmed the canine was his. The dog accidentally got out of the house, he said. Hickey was still operating the snowblower at the time, the press release indicated.

After returning to Corner Brook City Hall, officers determined Hickey's pet was unlicensed.

The city did fine Hickey for having an unlicensed and roaming animal, but issued a "warning-only" ticket for illegally driving the snowblower, since officials considered it a less serious violation.

Hickey told Canada AM on Thursday he minds the traffic when riding his snowblower and he's received no complaints from the public.

"I thought it would be nice to help them out but the city didn't see it that way," Hickey he said on the line from Corner Brook.

The city insists Hickey can still clear the driveways along the street as long as he pushes, pulls, tows or carries the heavy-duty piece of equipment across the road.

But Hickey said a kill switch prevents him from walking the blower across.

"It's kind of like a safety device, you've got to be sitting on it or else it won't run," he said.

Hickey said the warning won't keep him from driving his snowblower from house-to-house in the event of another snowfall.

"I did yesterday," he said.

He said he plows about 10 driveways in the morning and in the evening after a major snowfall.

"My driveway is pretty small, so I didn't buy it just for my driveway. I'd be pretty lazy otherwise," Hickey said.

Hickey said he has received an "amazing" amount of encouragement from the wider community.

"People are phoning, people are coming by my house, driving by, saying 'Keep up the good work.'"