A record 60.1 cms of snow fell in the downtown over the weekend closing businesses for the day. Just as clean up efforts were to begin another system moved through the area on Monday bringing more snow and heavy rain - over 40 mm blocking streets and sidewalks.

City crews could not keep ahead of the snow and heavy rain. Clearing efforts by the DDC and Kelloways Construcion was also brought to a stand still because of the large amounts of snow pushed on downtown sidewalks.

Scott Cluney, Executive Director with the DDC, explains "A snowstorm bringing 20cms of snow to the downtown makes it difficult to clear sidewalks in areas. When you have three times that amount in one storm it becomes nearly impossible without the help of City crews".

Kelloway's Construction had crews out in the downtown over the weekend as part of the Sidewalk Snow Clearing Assistance Program ran by the DDC but were unable to move the large amounts of snow with a small sidewalk plow.

"There are areas where a wall of snow, 8 to 10 feet in height are piled and there is no way a small sidewalk plow can handle those large volumes" Cluney says. "Even if we could move the snow from the sidewalk there is no where to push it right now. We are in the process of trying to organize a full removal with City crews for Water Street, Duckworth Street and other streets in the downtown for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. It's going to take a couple of days but we will have our sidewalks back before long". says Cluney.

The Sidewalk Snow Clearing Assistance Program was developed to assist downtown businesses and property owners within the BIA with the burden of keeping sidewalks clear of snow and ice during the winter season. It does not abolish business or property owners of their responsibility to remove snow and ice from their sidewalk. Its goal it to help ease the load and address areas where the sidewalk is bordered by vacant buildings and land.

For more information please call the DDC office at 579 4139.