Residents complain about snow removal delays

Karli McKinnon, Centretown News

Karli McKinnon, Centretown News

Dale Cordick is one of several residents who says snow removal in the city is too slow.

After weeks of waiting, Arlington Avenue was finally cleared of snow two weeks ago.

“It should have been done before Christmas and they did it just a couple of days ago, that’s my biggest problem,” says one of Arlington Avenue’s frustrated residents, who preferred not to be named.

The delay was caused by the priority given to main streets, because public transport makes use of main streets.

OC Transpo spokesman Randy Molson explains why main streets receive priority treatment.

“We are a priority,” Molson says. OC Transpo didn’t have any problems with routes that received plowing, salt or sand treatment too late.

Despite the city’s success in keeping the main streets clean and making public transport run smoothly, residents of Arlington Avenue still had to face the snowy streets for several weeks. Due to the build-up of snow and ice, some older people have been reluctant to leave their homes.

However, Arlington Avenue resident Inta Anderson says there aren’t many elderly people living on Arlington Avenue and those who are, are pretty good at shovelling the snow themselves.

Kirkland’s major concern, however, is the priority her street seems to have when it comes to snow removal – not because of the elderly, but because of Glashan Public School, located between Bank and Kent streets.

“We live opposite a school and it’s the same as last year. During the busiest school hours the lack of fast snow removal makes dropping and picking up your children a problem,” Kirkland says.

“Streets like Arlington, where a school is located, should get priority, too.”