Spring today, winter's back tomorrow
Richmond Hill operators bracing for snow
Yorkregion.com
March 11, 2014
By Kim Zarzour
Yup, you heard that right.
Ten centimetres of snow tomorrow. Minus nine degrees C. Blowing, drifting...
Think YOU are weary of this winter’s weather woes?
Try talking to the folks responsible for clearing away what this winter keeps throwing at us.
From deep sheets of ice to snowfalls that won’t melt away, public works employees in Richmond Hill have been busier than ever digging us out from under.
Spring may be just a week away, but the maintenance and operations workers are bracing for yet another onslaught tomorrow.
“It has been extremely challenging,” said Grant Taylor, director of maintenance and operations.
The town’s annual winter maintenance budget is $3.4 million. Final numbers aren’t in yet, but it’s expected costs have exceeded the 2013 budget, Mr. Taylor said, and for the first time in many years, the town will be drawing from the reserve account.
The winter of 2013/14 - that of the infamous Polar Vortex - started off poorly with the December ice storm. Snow clean-up had to be delayed because many areas were blocked with tree debris and hydro wires, he said.
It led to harrowing walks for many pedestrians, including Jerry Ram who broke his ankle traversing the icy sidewalk in front of his house.
Krysia Styrna said she walks on the streets of Richmond Hill “in mortal fear” of the icy snow-covered walkways and fast-travelling sidewalk snowplows.
“I don’t have much good to say about the streets and sidewalks,” adds Corrie Carpenter. “I try to be understanding considering we have had a brutal winter, but ... some roads I see are almost down to one lane because the snow banks are so far out into the road... I have hurt myself and my children have also due to poor conditions.”
Randall Becker said his street was covered with almost 12 cm of ice at one point.
“After I cleared the ice from my driveway, post ice storm, I had to build a ramp up to the street because of the layer of ice still left.”
Joan Marie is dismayed at the number of handicapped parking spots that are serving as depositories for plowed-up snow in local plazas.
“Unless you use a wheelchair or walker and depend on these spots you would have no idea how frustrating, thoughtless and inconvenient it is.”
She discovered first-hand when chauffeuring her mother to her doctor’s office at the Don Head Village plaza.
“On one occasion there was so much ice in the handicap parking spot she slipped getting into the wheelchair. Tell me, what moron plows snow into a handicap parking spot?”
Teresa Yi, manager at Sue’s Market in the plaza, said she and other storeowners have contacted the landlord multiple times to complain about the problem.
“We’ve sent our own staff out there to try to clear it out ourselves, but it’s frozen solid. We tried salt and that doesn’t work,” she said.
“I drove around to see how other [plaza owners] do it, but they’re all in the same boat.”
Matthew Moyal, of Thornhill, owns the Don Head plaza and agreed that disabled parking spots should be free of snow, but this winter has been an extreme challenge. For the first time, he said, he has paid for loaders to get rid of the snow, but there are still problems.
Usually plows clear the parking lot before business opens for the day, but once cars arrive, it is difficult to manoeuver, he said. Snow plow contractors are limited in how much salt they can use, and there are issues this year with accumulation on roofs and eavestroughs and downspouts freezing.
“Nobody disregards the issue,” he said. “There’s just so much we can do. No plaza has someone plowing 24-7.”
Mr. Taylor said the town has been undergoing a thorough review of winter maintenance practice. The salt-sand mix and application methods are being re-evaluated and additional training is provided to ensure efficiency.
“We’re seeing more and more adverse weather conditions, even summers, with heavy rainfall,” he said. “It means we have to adapt and change and understand that weather is going to impact us.”
