Ottawa snow cleanup to take weeks after 70 centimetres fell

Well that was a lot of snow! Ottawa is continuing to dig out after one of its biggest snowfalls in years. A total of 37.4 cm fell in the Capital over the Family Day Long Weekend, which added to the 32 cm which fell Wednesday and Thursday last week. 

By the numbers: Ottawa Weather Records has reported the city has more snow on the ground now than at any point other than 1971. There is about 91 centimetres of snow depth, compared to the winter of 1970/71 which saw 107 cm.  Monday was also the eighth snowiest February day in Ottawa. First place went to Feb. 16, 2016, when 51.2 centimetres fell.  

Snow removal will take about two weeks: City crews say they have travelled over 62,000 kilometres since Wednesday night salting and clearing streets. Main priority has been given to major roadways with side streets now starting to get more attention. The city expects it will take at least two weeks to clear the large piles of snow. 

• “We’re probably going to be in a two-to-three-week cycle of snow removal coming up,” City of Ottawa roads manager Bryden Denyes told CTV. “We’ve still got to clean up bus stops today (and) tonight. We’re trying to get all crosswalks, school loading zones everything ready for school that starts tomorrow and then, really, it’s getting into that snow removal because there are some very narrow streets out there right now.”

There were many carbon monoxide calls: Ottawa Fire crews are reminding everyone to clear their vents after responding to 80 carbon monoxide and natural gas calls. 

• “The problem here is that the vents are often close to the ground and it’s critical that the furnaces are able to let their exhaust out. When there is snow really close or blocking them, CO comes back into the house,” Dan Kirvan, Chief of Special Operations with the Ottawa Fire Services, told CTV.  

Among the calls was to a nine-storey apartment building in the Little Italy neighbourhood. There were peak readings of 120 parts per million (PPM) at the roof where the air handling unit was, reported CTV. 

There was also damage: The Louis Riel Dome recreation centre in Ottawa’s east end will be closed until further notice after sustaining serious damage during the winter snow storms, reported CTV. On its website, the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club says the Bearbrook Road facility suffered “a complete collapse.” The exact cause was not given. 

• “At the moment, it is too early to determine the duration of this closure. Our teams are currently working to assess the extent of the required repairs. We will keep you informed as we have more information to share,” the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO) said in a letter to parents in French.