Well Halifax, we’ve been hit yet again this week. The moment you think it’s all shifting to clear skies and warmer days, our faithful fiend winter rears her ugly head.
Although today is the first day of spring, many have thrown up their hands and given up on seeing that green grass anytime soon. Over 80 centimetres of snow have come down since the weekend, and we’re gradually working our way out of the white walls that have us locked in perpetual cabin fever.
City crews are on the job around the clock, and they plan on continuing through the weekend so that we can all get to work on Monday morning. With nine-foot snowbanks towering over our roads, it begs the question: where is the city shipping all this snow off to?
That’s a secret, says Halifax. Spokesperson Jennifer Stairs says the city can’t reveal any exact locations for where they’ve been dumping snow. The city doesn’t want any residents or commercial entities unloading their snow in the same spots.“Three or four” municipally-owned fields is the only information we know. Stairs says the fields are nowhere near capacity, which is good news in case we get another blizzard.
Still, so much more space is needed to rid us of all this mess, and homeowners aren’t allowed to shovel snow into the streets.
“Technically that’s illegal under the bylaws,” says Stairs.
Not that the city spokesperson isn’t sympathetic to the mess all of Halifax finds itself in.
“Unfortunately snow storage is at a premium right now,” she says. “We’re all in the same boat.”
Halifax is already well over budget for snow removal by nearly $10 million. Workers have put in much more time than usual, and a lot of equipment was brought in when the latest storm hit on Wednesday. This year, the job has been never-ending.
A snow and rain mix is scheduled to begin late tomorrow afternoon, with snowfall amounts potentially reaching around 15cm and rain up to 25 millimetres in some parts of the province.
If you’re out and about today, take this opportunity to stock up on those storm chips. Over the weekend, reach out to your neighbours, especially senior citizens and those with mobility issues. One positive of this winter is that it’s reminded us just how compassionate Haligonians can be towards one another.
We might as well admit that spring feels more like some distant dream, well beyond our reach. I can barely recall what it feels like to go on my little walks around the block, barrier free and enjoying the warm sunshine. At least we can dance in the streets when the snow finally bids us adieu. I know that I certainly will.
