Having read the Citizen article Tuesday Jan. 21 on snow removal I was even more dismayed at the situation we are facing. Having lived in Prince George for the past 30 years I am not new to the difficulties of our winters.
We have a policy in place that has snow removal occurring on the main arteries and bus routes as a priority. If that is true it does not explain the sad condition of 10th Avenue between Central Street and Duchess Park. The portion from Central to Carney is quite good but the rest is horrible. I do not understand how the busses are getting into the bus stops in front of the Phoenix Medical Centre a situation that has gotten worse over the past two years. At the same time in our neighborhood Edmonton and Laurier Streets seem to be plowed within two days of any given snowfall. An examination of what is and is not a bus route and or main artery would go a long way to informing us of the problems in snow removal.
Could we please be sure that someone looks at the system being used to direct crews to where they are to work. I have one friend who did not see a plow for 28 days and another who was plowed three times in one week. This tells me we have a system error not a worker error.
I am curious if we are operating with the same contract crew level as we have in the past. If I read between the lines in the newspaper articles I can only assume that the city does not have access to as many contractors as it has in the past.
I am not a fan of creating a whole new system, I am a fan of finding out what has broken in the system we have and fixing it. Road clearing has been getting worse every year for the last few years?
If we think we are going to solve our problems with global warming I'm afraid the predictions are we will get more snow before we get less. So I entrust city management will do its job well thereby making it possible for city staff and contractors to do a good job.
G. Morrice
Prince George
