Loving the snow piled on sidewalks/at bus stops

[mysideofthings]

I am sure others have noticed the amount of snow/slush in general, but I am kind of amazed that the sidewalks in some areas are virtually unable to be used due to the mountains of snow piled on them. Not only that, but the puddles make it even more difficult to get onto a sidewalk where there are mountains of snow making it potentially dangerous if you have no other space to walk but the highway and risk getting hit.

The bus stops are just horrendous, and I am thankful for the bus drivers trying their best to stop at spots where people don't hurt themselves (too much) by stepping into knee-deep snow. I have NO idea how people with mobility issues can get around on the sidewalks. That is more my concern than anything, so hopefully the snow will start to melt soon or else it is going to be difficult for people for a while.

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

High road is really bad most sidewalks closed. Saw.a guy walking on the street slowed right down..hope other do too.
It was a lot of snow and will still take a while to get cleaned up..

[GordonH]

^^^ OP

I've mentioned this couple of times on other threads, I notice a number of business along Harvey Monday. Some of their snow removal was pushed onto shoulder of Harvey also blocking the sidewalk with large snow bank. Which is not helping speed up sidewalk removal by the city workers.

[Grandan]

I took the time and spent a few bucks on diesel to clear the snow from the bicycle path in front of my house for a distance of 100 metres, right up to and including the bus stop. It is one of the few times I get to practice my loader skills on a manageable material, I can see why people take on jobs clearing snow.
I have to question why the city trucks continue to plow just the travelled portion of the lane over and over but don't push right to the edge of the asphalt and expose the bike lane which is used daily even in the snow. I will continue to keep this area clear because I don't need any pedestrian or cyclist hit because they had to walk on the travelled portion of the road.
I spent a lot of time on the bus and on my bicycle not to mention shanks pony so I have a lot of sympathy for those who simply cannot jump in their cars and drive away. I worked hard and saved so I could afford to park in a garage so my snow brush is reserved for the few times I am out and it snows on my parking spot.

[damama55]

OH, MY GOODNESS!!! What a mess!!
I had to take the bus today into town and it is ridiculous at how many of the bus stops are NOT cleared!! I mean, bus drivers have to stop at driveways to let people off so they don't slip and go under the bus's wheels or go knee deep into the snow banks.
I know the city is NOT used to this much snow, but, seriously, the well traveled routes should have more stops cleared than they do. Along Rutland Rd., I saw, I don't know how many, cars parked on the street and the plow had gone around them and they are still there. And it stopped snowing when?? Looks like Kelowna is going to have to bring out a law about leaving vehicles on the streets after a snowstorm.
Back to the bus stops. I never saw any snow removal equipment or guys shovelling or anything along the whole route. People say there is no work?? How about putting out a call out for some strong arms and shovels to work for the city for a few days and clear out the stops, or, does someone have to end up in the hospital or the morgue first!!
Another point, how come the plows don't have a side plow? This works great when they use the front plow and then the side plow could be dropped to clear a bus stop or a driveway as they keep on plowing. Folks all around would appreciate it. Just a thought.

[Andy S]

Have to leap off the bus to avoid landing in ankle deep water - and visa versa getting on. All the transit drivers are aware and are talking - and doing their best to pull up beside the best looking snow bank to help us. I haven't splashed crashed yet, am 60 years old and ~Do The Bus~ 6 days a week... maybe ask our new Mayor to try it out ?

[damama55]

Not just the Mayor--how about all the Councillors?? Come on, Mayor and Councillors, ride the buses and get off here and there and see what we, the regular riders, go through, trying to traverse around the snow banks at the stops. Then, maybe YOU can get something done. Not just with the bus stops and all the snow, now, but the schedules, too. I mean, we are pulling in on one bus and the one we need, that has been sitting there, all of a sudden pulls off. Maybe your input to Victoria, or wherever they do the schedules, will finally work to get them better coordinated. Pay your fare and ride like a regular passenger for a week. Are any of you willing to take the challenge??? Let's see how you manage getting back and forth to work, with or without the snow.

[greensunshine]

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[LoneWolf_53]

So which part of, it was an unusually heavy snow storm, and will take some time to clear, is it that people don't get?

Given that all plows can really do is simply push it to the side, it's not that hard to understand that sidewalks, bus stops, and entrances to parking lots will be unpleasant to use.

When accumulations are this much, often the removal process entails various steps, from the initial plowing the snow on the roads to the sides, to sometimes even having to pick it up with trucks and haul it away because it's not melting and there's no where to put it.

The people on the roads get cranky if they have to drive in it, and the pedestrians get cranky when they have to walk in it.

The obvious answer for the mobility challenged is to sit tight indoors until it's safe to wander back out with the scooter or what have you.

[AirHoss]

/\ He has a point, but only locally.
Snow clearning in the southern half of British Columbia is generally pretty poor. I don't blame the crews, they can only do what they are told with the equipment they are given. I grew up on the east coast and not a winter went by that I didn't have an 8 FOOT windrow in front of my house. The crews there are well seasoned and VERY well equipped.
The equipment used here is laughable. Those dump trucks with the plow placed mid-ship are a joke. May as well leave that at the yard. Then they send out the little bobcats to try to clear sidewalks and bus stops. Back home this is done with proper full size loaders. Instead of staff spending an hour struggling with a bobcat trying to clear one bus stop, a large loader with an experienced operator can do an entire neighbourhood.

The reality is, Kelowna just isn't equipped to handle this kind of snow fall... because it doesn't ordinarily have to and I don't think any tax-payer would support spending an additional $20 million dollars in training and equipment for a storm we get once every 40 years. We'll all have to grin and bear it 'til it melts. Life's rough.

[Noilly]

Lonewolf...you obviously drive, have no mobility issues and don't have any medical issues that require urgent appointments. I totally agree with being patient but sidewalks and bus stops should be priority 2 as well.

[Bsuds]

There is no excuse for Bus stops on the major routes to still be covered in snow.

[Anonymous123]

If you drive down Enterprise near Walmart, have a look at the sidewalks fronting the car dealerships (the Dodge dealer in particular). They haven't been touched, yet the lots are free of snow. Is it not the responsibility of the property owners to keep the sidewalks clear?

[Swoop]

...it's been almost a week since "Snowmageddon" and there are far too many sidewalks/crossing accesses on major routes that have yet to see any clearing...the many comments on this are just not typical Castanet moaning and whining - the current level of snow clearing service is simply pathetic for a center of Kelowna's size...

[damama55]

Again, why don't they put out a call for guys and gals out of work that want to make a few dollars and have them help, if Kelowna doesn't have the man/woman power to "git er done". Wouldn't take too long, after a snowfall like we had, to get the accesses cleared, I'm sure, and would give some people a few more dollars to put back into the economy. Any other ideas that maybe Kelowna might implement??
I noticed today, after driving into Kelowna with a friend, that even the stops that have high bases, have quite a bit of snow on their level for people to walk over to use the buses.