Ottawa residents frustrated over snowbanks in neighbourhood
As Ottawa residents continue to dig themselves out after this week’s snowfall, drivers are having a hard time squeezing through narrow streets in residential neighbourhoods.
"The snowbanks have got to be cut down, people can’t pass,” said one driver along Mona Street in Vanier.
Several snowbanks surround the Vanier neighbourhood. Some streets were reduced to a single lane because of the heaps of snow encroaching onto the roadways.
“You can see yourself this snowbank behind me has street beneath me, has street under it and it’s about as wide as a car,” said Billie Trahan, who lives in Vanier.
A similar sight in several parts of the city after 71 cm of snow fell in Ottawa so far in January. Most of the snow has been cleared from driveways and sidewalks, but Trahan wonders where the snow will go if the snowbanks aren't removed soon.
"Our yard is where the maintenance puts all the snow from the driveway," said Trahan, pointing to her backyard. "Those piles over there is where he’ll usually put the snow and now there’s no more room."
Visibility for pedestrians is also a concern.
"These are small side roads we live on, there’s usually some degree of build up during the winter but this is pretty extreme," said Trahan’s partner, Alan.
In an email to CTV News Ottawa, the city said, "Crews have been hard at work the last few weeks clearing the new snow that’s accumulated in the city while treating icy conditions and removing the snow that had built up previously.
"Crews will continue clearing and removing snow from the transportation network, with special attention on sidewalks as well as any problem areas, and a focus on the snow removal of residential streets within the urban core over the next week. We would like to recognize staff’s amazing resilience in continuing with winter operations during a particularly challenging few weeks. The City appreciates resident’s patience, understanding and continued support while we do our best to keep the transportation network safe."
Capital Coun. Shawn Menard tweeted out a photo of the snowbanks in Old Ottawa East on Friday.
"I'm 6'6" and some of these snowbanks are taller," Menard said.
As residents wait for crews to arrive, they're also bracing for another snowfall. Environment Canada is calling for another 10 to 15 cm of snow on Sunday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison
Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unravelled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world's most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.