(Image credit: CFJC Today/File photo).

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: It’s time to take a new look at getting rid of snow windrows

Nov 10, 2022 | 4:42 AM

THERE’S GOOD REASON windrows come up after the first snowfall every year — people hate them like crazy.

During the heavy snow a few days ago, I passed a resident busily shovelling the windrow on her driveway put there by a City plow. I admired her industry and pitied her situation, because it was inevitable that a plow would soon come along again and create a brand-new windrow.

Clearing windrows with a shovel or snow blower isn’t easy work. For seniors and the handicapped, it’s impossible, so they have to hire somebody or rely on the kindness of neighbours.

Snow clearing, and the speed with which it’s done, is the number one irritant for City taxpayers when it comes to service. Small improvements are made from time to time, but City council — persuaded by its bureaucrats — steadfastly refuses to do anything about windrows.

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According to City Hall, “It is the responsibility of homeowners… to clear the windrow at the end of their driveway.”

There are several excuses for this, the most prominent one being cost. The City’s current equipment can’t accommodate the necessary windrow-clearing attachments, and it would be very costly to make changes — or so the mantra goes.

But the City has never asked residents if they’re willing to pay higher taxes to deal with those despised windrows. A couple of winters ago I took an informal poll and found that at least half of residents were willing to pay an extra $40 on their taxes, which, at that time, would have generated revenues almost equaling the entire snow-removal budget.

And, by the way, it far surpassed what they would have had to pay to finance a new performing arts centre — that’s how big an issue this is.

Many cities across the country have heeded the call and now remove windrows during snow-clearing operations, either at the time of plowing or after the fact.

It’s high time Kamloops took the issue seriously.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.