Barrie’s massive snow mountain defies heatwave, remains in July

The aftermath of the City of Barrie's snow mountain is pictured in this split image.

Despite months of warm weather and a recent heat wave, a towering pile of snow collected from Barrie’s streets continues its slow melt into the summer.

At the peak of winter, the snow pile reached nearly seven stories in height and was visible from vehicles traveling along Highway 400.

Despite the recent heatwave that saw temperatures boil to over 30 degrees, the snow pile remains standing roughly 18 feet high and 100 feet long.

Barrie’s director of operations Dave Friary said the city followed a different process when it came to the snow pile this year, which is why it remains in July.

“We actually brought in a bulldozer to compact it similar to what we do at the landfill,” said Friary. “So, make everything a lot more dense, so that’s one of the reasons why it’s hanging around so long.”

The snow, along with debris, continues to melt in the back of the city’s works yard on Ferndale Drive.

“It’s melting, so it’s flowing pretty good; we’re on an asphalt pad that was designed as our snow-melting facility,” said Friary. “So what happens is all the snow and the debris will melt. The debris will stay on the pad, and then we’ll clean it up, sweep it up, and dispose of it.”

While the water drains into a storm pond close by.

“Any of the water that’s coming off ends up in the stormwater management pond, which is next to us here that also filters things before it gets to the lake,” said Friary.

No one actually knows when the snow pile will become obsolete; however, officials are guessing the pile will disappear before the August long weekend.