Cast Iron Staircase

I remember first seeing these in Montreal when I was there for a planning field trip. It was in the fall so no one was thinking about the practicality of them in the winter when they would be dangerously covered in ice.  Frankly, I think I was the only one that paid attention. I think they are the thing that best characterizes Montreal for me.  Yes, I see these staircases elsewhere, but they are not the same.  I’m not sure of the rules for accessibility in Quebec, but I bet that these beautiful stairs are a thing of the past, grandfathered in.  Hopefully they are being maintained and ice incidents are kept to a minimum.