| City gets serious about snow removal |
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| Written by Alyssa C. Smith | ||
| Wednesday, 14 April 2010 09:45 | ||
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Calgarians can breathe a little easier about snow removal for the rest of 2010. City council's decision Monday to extend extra emergency snow removal funding means the $10 million for services like residential plowing and sanding approved in January will now be available until the end of the year.Originally only scheduled until May of this year, the money from the city's Fiscal Stability Reserve Fund is to be used on an as-needed basis.
Council's January decision was made after the city was overwhelmed by calls from residents during last December's snow storm. However, funding is only a temporary solution. A committee, which includes Ald. Ray Jones, is being formed to discuss future solutions for Calgary's snow removal issues. Jones said that during December's snow storm, some residents in Calgary's northwest were snowed in for up to eight days. "You just can't leave people like that. It's time to look at(Calgary’s snow removal program), and look at it seriously," he said. Dustin Tondu, a resident of Royal Oak in the northwest, said it's about time the city looks at the issue more closely. "I was stuck at home for three days because I couldn't get my car out of my driveway," he said about last December's snow storm. "It was ridiculous." Mayor Dave Bronconnier has said he knows how important the issue is to Calgarians. "If you ask more Calgarians in June or July they'd say (snow removal) is pretty good. But if you ask them during a snowstorm, they’d pay just about any price (for better snow removal),” he told the Calgary Sun Monday. The snow and ice control performance audit sub-committee is still looking for two individuals with snow removal expertise. For more information visit |
