Civic Alert: Emergency snow measures ready to counter weekend rain threat

A combination of this month’s severe weather conditions, lack of contracted equipment and new provincial rules restricting dumping prompted the city on Tuesday to revise its regular procedures.

The challenge of an unusually heavy snowstorm last weekend has been compounded by the threat of rain forecast for this Saturday and Sunday.

“We have to have the snow currently piled up on city streets removed by then,” said City Councillor George Bowser, the Public Works Commissioner.

“It is particularly important that this is done around the steep slopes of the Mountain.”

More than 100 cm. of snow has fallen on Montreal during the first half of December, while the average is 52 cm. for the entire month. We seem set to reach or exceed the previous biggest totals of 105 cm. in 1970 and 118 cm. two years later.

Public Works aimed to remove in four days the 42 cm. that was dumped during the Dec. 2 storm. This would have required the support of at least 40 trucks to haul it away.

“However, the firm responsible for supplying the trucks could not provide them,” Director-General Bruce St. Louis reported to Council on Monday evening.

Snow chute delays

In fact, the snow clearing crews were supported by fewer than 30 trucks. Additionally, some of the drivers were delayed at the Butler snow chute in Pointe St. Charles, which was often overloaded as a result of the extraordinary snowfall. Despite these obstacles, Westmount’s snow was cleared in five days.

“I want to thank our personnel for the extraordinary effort to clear the snow and for the excellent work they accomplished,” St. Louis added.

City Engineer Jacques Lahaie had anticipated a normal truck availability of about 40 trucks for this week’s 40 cm. dumping. It turned out that only 33 were available.

But a further restriction was imposed when the Butler snow chute held Westmount to 28 truck loads each 12-hour day. This meant other places had to be found for the remaining snow if it were to be moved before the predicted Saturday rain.

Determined to avoid any crisis at the weekend, St. Louis and Lahaie decided that special measures should be taken to avoid the problems that could follow.

The City expects to have five blowers available to lift the snow, but the trucks will be insufficient to move all of it. So, as an emergency measure, some from above The Boulevard will be blown into the wooded area around Summit Circle.

Blowing on lawns

“In other areas of the city, it may also be necessary to blow snow off the streets and onto gardens,” Bowser warned. This has indeed come to pass, and was announced on Wednesday morning.

For many years, this was Westmount’s main way of moving snow. It was phased out 20 years ago, largely due to the salt damage to gardens and lawns. However, this method is still used in many suburbs.

The weekend snow accumulated so quickly that very little salt was used and currently the banks are relatively free of it.

The race to clear the snow before the rain arrives is critical. “It would make any snow remaining very heavy and compound the disposal problems,” John Monteiro, the City Superintendent of Roads and Parks, explained.

Frozen drains

“If the catch basins became blocked, it would prevent the rain and melting snow from running away safely.

“Everywhere could become big blocks of ice.

“There is also the potential of freezing roads. This would make it more difficult for the blowers and trucks, as well as regular traffic, to move on the hills.”

Westmount had its own agent at the Butler chutes to ensure that trucks unloaded effectively. “It went very smoothly today,” Monteiro said on Tuesday evening.

The chutes are entrances to the Island-wide trunk sewer system and rely on warm water to melt the snow so that it can flow to the treatment plant in Rivière-des-Prairies. Over-enthusiastic unloading can block the entrance, thus delaying the melting.

Appeal for help

Council has renewed appeals to drivers to respect parking laws to help the clearing operations. Director-General St. Louis instanced cars on private driveways overhanging the public sidewalk.

“It not only contravenes our bylaws but is potentially dangerous for the snow removal crews,” he wrote in his monthly report to Council. “It’s not great for the car and even worse for the safety of a snow plough driver.

“I have asked Public Security patrols to pay special attention to the problem this winter and ask residents to ensure their vehicles are at least 18 inches clear of the sidewalk.”

On Monday evening, Council adopted a Bylaw to prevent snow being dumped on the street, sidewalk or public place. A conviction could lead to a $2,000 fine for a first offence or $4,000 for a subsequent one.

Mayor Karin Marks wrote to all residents last week explaining that Council planned to exercise greater vigilance on the problem. “The City will implement additional Public Security patrols to address the problem caused by negligent contractors and individuals.

Mayor wants electric shuttle — whichever route

Mayor Karin Marks is seeking a decision on the route of the Airport Shuttle that does not pit communities against one another.

Earlier this month, she took part in a consultation organized by the Airport and including all the cities, boroughs and organizations that might be involved in whichever route is chosen.

“There are many issues to be considered,” she said. “For instance, it would be very nice for the developers of the Turcot Yards to know they could have a station with fast service to both downtown and the airport.”

She feels that basic decisions to run electrified trains on long-welded rails should be taken for whichever route is chosen. “That would minimize the noise problems for whoever is close to the tracks,” the Mayor told Council on Monday.

In addition, delegates from communities bordering the CP and CN routes through Westmount and St. Henri, TMR and northern boroughs were involved in the consultation, as the route under Mount Royal is also being re-examined.

“There is a general acceptance of the need for the Airport Shuttle,” she said. “We must find the best solution, one that is the least difficult to absorb by those affected.”



• Community activist Don Wedge can be reached at calert@web.net.