Snow plows were kept running nearly 24-hours a day from before Christmas through to early 2022, dealing with repeated snowfalls in the Nanaimo region. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

all hands on deck

‘Whatever it takes to keep the city moving:’ Nanaimo snow removal crews primed for winter weather

Nov 22, 2022 | 11:20 AM

NANAIMO — Following immense amounts of snowfall in the region over the holiday season last year, City crews are ready for whatever Mother Nature dishes out this season.

Around a foot of snow fell on either side of Christmas Day 2021 in Nanaimo, with more in the days following, making for ongoing and complicated snow removal efforts.

Council heard during their Monday, Nov. 21 meeting the City has spent $645,000 in 2022 on snow removal already, with David Thompson, City manager of roads, telling Council they’ll likely have more work to do before year’s end.

“It’s almost impossible to budget for a snow season, from my perspective this is all risk money. You could budget zero, we’re going to spend whatever it takes to keep the City moving and moving safely.”

Thompson said budgets for 2021 and 2022 combined were $880,000.

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The City spent $1.45 million on snow removal in 2021, a majority coming from snow events in February and December.

Most of the 2022 spend so far occurred in January, cleaning up the parade of storms which dumped feet of snow.

Many areas of Nanaimo received well over a foot of snow through the holiday 2021/22 event. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Despite the hardship, winter 2021/22 was a valuable educational experience and has made the City better prepared heading into this season.

Thompson said they have 71 people trained to operate snow removal equipment, with 40 needed at any one time. In high-demand periods, such as last winter, it’s all hands on deck.

“When we’re running two shifts, 24 hours a day, after a few days, everybody’s starting to get pretty tired,” Thompson said. “Last year after two weeks, they were exhausted.”

To better prepare, the City has 120,000 litres of salt brine on hand to apply to roads before a forecasted stretch of sub-zero temperatures and secured an increased supply of road salt.

Additional weather stations are also being looked at in order to get more reliable and localized temperature information to aid in decision-making.

Ice quickly became a challenge during the 2021/22 snow event in Nanaimo, with plows unable to dig it up. The City then turned to construction equipment to dig down to bare pavement. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Priorities to clear remain the same, with key emergency routes, main corridors and transit roads classified as priority one. Main residential streets are next, followed by cul-de-sacs and small roads.

Last year’s storm barrage meant City crews seldom made it to priority three routes, with several cul-de-sacs remaining unplowed throughout the event.

“Eventually you get down to a point..where there was a thick layer of ice bonded to the road surface and it was impossible for traditional snow clearing equipment to move so we brought in backhoes to clear out some of those areas,” Thompson added.

Another priority in the winter months is ensuring the City’s main active transportation spine is cleared, including space on Metral Dr., the E&N Trail and other main connectors.

Charlotte Davis, manager of parks operations, told Council this work doesn’t slow down or negatively effect road-clearing efforts.

“The E&N Trail is plowed using utility vehicles, these vehicles would not be used to plow a road. When they’re available, it is a priority two and we’re generally able to get there after the downtown, so it may well be cleared before a priority two street or the cul-de-sacs.”

Davis added they’ve re-secured the services of a contractor to help with snow removal at select City facilities, however, the hourly cost is roughly three times what they’ve paid in the past.

The City advises residents, who are responsible for sidewalks adjacent to their properties, to push snow to the right of their driveway as they’re looking at the road.

Thompson said this will minimize the amount of snow plows spray back onto driveways when clearing the roads in front.

More information on the City of Nanaimo’s snow-clearing efforts, priorities and strategies, is available on the City website.

It’s not always bad news during major snowfalls in Nanaimo. A well-timed event over the Family Day long weekend in 2021 turned hills at Dover Bay Secondary School into makeshift ski and sled runs. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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