'A big inconvenience': Residents in southeast Edmonton neighbourhood frustrated with windrows left behind
Residents in a southeast Edmonton neighbourhood are frustrated with the massive windrows left behind by city crews after blading the area for ice buildup.
“My husband and I just stuck our fingers in one of them, they are solid ice and they're not going anywhere for a while,” Nickie Scott, a resident in The Meadows, said.
Scott has been living in the area with her family for more than two decades and she says the recent change in street access has made it difficult for people to park or even plug-in their vehicles.
“We had one guy park on top of the windrow last night,” she said while gesturing at the pile of snow in front of her driveway.
“The kids will probably have fun with it, building snow forts… but, that’s probably the only use you’re going to get out of them.”
Bob Wood, another resident, said he’s concerned about the thaw in the spring and the potential impact it could have in the area.
“There’s going to be flooding because the snow is not going to get through these,” he explained while shovelling.
“It’s a big inconvenience for a lot of people.”
Scott understands the city is being proactive but she said there still needs to be a balance.
“The road was fine,” she said.
“It’s the beginning of January and we’re now going to be left with this… we’re going to get more snow and it’s going to get cold.”
Scott told CTV News she escalated the concern with the city by calling 311 and the response she got was there’s “no timeline” to remove the windrows.
“He said, ‘If we come and remove the snow on your street, we have to remove it everywhere,’” she recalled.
Mobility and accessibility is another worry for Scott. She said the mounds of overflowing snow transformed the streets into a “one-way” lane to get in and out.
“The expectation is that we’re going to be like this for the rest of the season.”
Philip Herritt, director of the city's Infrastructure Operations, Parks and Roads Services, said crews have been out in full force this week taking on the deep snowpack on all roads, adding that higher amounts of precipitation this season are tying up equipment and resources.
“As a result of this accumulation, we can expect the size of windrows to be much larger this year, especially in comparison to last year,” Herritt said in a statement to CTV News.
“Once crews have completed clearing a road in a residential neighbourhood, specialized equipment goes in and removes windrows that are blocking driveways and crosswalks.”
“While we do not remove windrows from curbsides in residential areas, we do our best to help ensure safety and mobility for Edmontonians."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's David Ewasuk
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.