City of Parksville crews were well-prepared for the weekend’s snowfall.
Deb Tardiff, manager of communications with the city, saidthat prior to any storm, city crews prepare for an event.
“Crews started on Friday, Feb. 12, with preliminary work such as brining or salting (depending upon weather conditions), then worked in 12-hour shifts throughout the day and night on Saturday, Feb. 13, and Sunday, Feb. 14, to clear roads.”
On Monday, Feb. 15, a crew remained out in public to ensure the roads were safe.
On a lighter side, Tardiff said that one lane of the Island Highway at Parksville Community Park was closed to allow tobogganers.
A section of the City of Parksville’s website, titled Winter Conditions, outlines the priority routes during a snowfall and the city’s policy on snow and ice control.
Tardiff confirmed that crews work to that policy.
READ MORE: SNOW DAYS: PQB News readers share their photos from a snow-filled weekend
Equipment crews used included: two F-550 trucks equipped with 10-foot arctic snowplows and box salters; one tandem-axle dump truck with an under-body snowplow and 9.5-yard salter; a single-axle dump truck setup with under body and front plow with 7.5-yard salter; a John Deere tractor with articulation front plow; a John Deere machine with a fixed front plow; and a Cat 430 F2 backhoe.
Information on the financial cost to the city will be available in approximately two weeks.
Cpl. Jesse Foreman of the Oceanside RCMP told the PQB News that only five collisions were attended by the RCMP during the weekend.
“It would appear that the roads were well-maintained and that drivers took their time and drove defensively,” he said.
mandy.moraes@pqbnews.com