(Nicole Reis/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Nicole Reis

Snow Removal Bylaw Review

City agrees to review snow removal bylaws after residents criticize windrows

Feb 13, 2020 | 1:39 PM

Meadow Lake city council has agreed to review the current snow removal bylaw after numerous complaints from residents citing traffic obstructions, child safety concerns, and the length of time windrows stay in place.

City Manager Diana Burton told council at the latest meeting this week, the snow removal crew consists of seven workers and they are doing what they can to combat snow mounds.

“I believe they are making headway. [Public works] has been constantly hauling snow away. If people have concerns about kids walking on them, advise them to call city hall,” she said.

Coun. Richard Levesque questioned whether city workers could put in overtime to remove snow which has been laying in city streets for nearly four weeks.

Burton explained city workers have been attending to maintenance issues at the Third Street East lift station and some workers were pulled in to assist with sewage removal this week and overtime depends on worker availability. Windrows create accessibility to sidewalks, parking spaces for business and residential driveways.

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“Past practice would move snow to one side of the road and if snow mounds go too high, they would have to haul it off, but workers had more time because it wasn’t a direct traffic concern at the time. [Public Works] is coming up with solutions they’ll be presented to council,” she said.

Coun. Curtis Paylor noted mounds have been sitting in streets nearly four weeks and the public is becoming frustrated and parking cars on snow banks.

“Part of the issue was the initial snowfall we had. They grated into windrows, workers were hauling, but then we had another snowfall, so it goes back to priority one then priority two. That’s part of the reason they’re being left a little longer than they should be,” Mayor Merlin Seymour said to council.

Burton agreed the city has not experienced a heavy snowfall compared to previous years though is looking at ways to improve it and will likely discuss priority routes, methods used for different streets and equipment used.

“We have a piecemeal of a couple of different policies and bylaws that we’re reviewing and we will bring a recommendation to council. Generally there have been a few ways things can be done and it’s not terribly consistent in how we’re approaching it so were looking to improve that process,” she said.

The city manager was not able to determine a set date for removal of windrows on all residential streets but did state workers have been out daily and work from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. to wrap up snow removal efforts.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722