St. Vital residents on the hook for clearing ridges of snow in back lanes

Homeowners in one Winnipeg neighbourhood say large windrows from the city’s snow-clearing operations have blocked access to their homes. Joseph Bernacki has mor

Residents of a Winnipeg neighbourhood are concerned recent snow clearing operations from the city have left large windrows behind that are blocking access to their homes.

St. Vital resident Bob Yonda said he has spent many recent hours chiseling out of his back lane driveway.

Ridges of snow left behind from city graters are causing headaches and backaches — for him and his neighbours.

“You have to use a big steel shovel, like snow shovels don’t cut it,” Yonda said.

“Then there’s no place to shovel the snow and you don’t want to park in the street in case you get towed. It’s a lot of work to clear it up.”

He said it’s a challenge every winter to maintain his narrow back lane off Woodydell Avenue. Recent snowfall brought out city graders more than once this last week. Yonda said the graders added height and heft to ridges left behind.

“I just got lucky that I saw the guy because if I’d waited for my wife to come home, she would’ve been honking the horn saying, ‘I can’t get in because it was high,’” Yonda said.

Others weren’t so lucky this week. Arcadio Baquiran lives down the lane off neighbouring Vista Avenue. His driveway and others are blocked by a windrow of snow and ice, something homeowners are responsible to clear.

Baquiran said the city is cutting costs and rushing their cleanup efforts.

“By the time a lot of people are passing by a lot of snow ruts are created, that’s why people backing out are have a hard time driving away,” Baquiran said.

“They’re trying to do their job, finish it and they don’t care (about) the outcome.”

Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) said many complaints have come his way.

He said he’s looking into why his ward is plagued with so many recent dig outs.

“I have a gravel back lane and it got plowed both on Sunday and I shoveled out the windrow, and Tuesday I shoveled out the windrow, so they have a point,” Mayes said.

“There seems to be maybe a little over-enthusiastic clearing here by the staff.”

A spokesperson from the City of Winnipeg said work continues on clearing back lanes and spot-cleaning following snowfall from January 18.

Per the city’s snow clearing policy, residents are responsible for having their back lane driveways cleared.

City of Winnipeg public works chair Janice Lukes said it’s an issue that comes up every winter.

“It is a challenge living in a winter city,” Lukes said.

“There’s not a lot of room to navigate to push into storage areas. We recognize that, but we also recognize that people want their back lanes plowed so it’s kind of a catch-22.”

One solution is being touted by private snow clearing contractor Kyle Dengl who operates KDS Industries with his wife.

Dengl said people should get together with their neighbours and split the cost of clearing their properties.

“We could come clear the front, the back, the whole city block, it depends on just the rates,” Dengl said.

“If you’re not happy with one rate, you can always call another contractor.”