City of Vancouver
Information Bulletin
November 4, 2017
The City of Vancouver is out salting and brining the streets as snow flurries hit areas in Vancouver.
Our crews work 24 hours a day
to monitor the weather
and respond as required. Due to the dry weather yesterday afternoon, we
implemented our snow and ice control procedures and used brine for the
main arterial streets to prepare for freezing conditions. We had crews
scheduled overnight and will continue assessing
the situation to adjust the plan as required.
The priority for treatment will be for major arterial routes, priority bike routes, priority hills, and water
leak locations. Operators have been applying brine and/or salt as required.
We are anticipating flurries into this evening and dry overnight, however with freezing
temperatures ice is expected tonight and into tomorrow morning.
Learn more about snow removal and to see a map of priority treatment locations, visit Vancouver.ca/snow
Help us identify problem spots
If an area requires attention, report it using the City’s VanConnect app or by calling 3-1-1. The City is
monitoring incoming requests to identify problem areas and dispatching crews to address those issues.
Snow clearance by-law
All
Vancouver property owners and occupants (tenants) are responsible to clear snow
and ice from the full width of sidewalks that surround their property by
10:00am the morning following a snowfall. This responsibility is in effect
seven days a week. Property owners and occupants who fail to remove snow and
ice may be subject to fines.
Snow and
ice on the sidewalk can be a barrier for many people, particularly seniors and
people with mobility challenges. Through our Snow Angel program, we encourage
residents and businesses to lend a hand to those who can't shovel their own
sidewalks by adopting the sidewalk of a neighbour and keeping it clear of snow and
ice all winter long.
The City strongly recommends that residents and businesses:
· Lay
salt down on sidewalks and driveways prior to the snowfall. This will help to melt the ice and make it easier to remove.
· Shovel
new snow as soon as possible to prevent build up and melting into an ice
crust. While residents have until 10:00am until after a snowfall to
shovel sidewalks in front of their property, getting out early before
the morning commute will help ensure snow isn’t
packed down, and will make it easier to remove.
· Provide
help to neighbours who cannot clear their own sidewalks, if you are able. Consider registering to become a Snow Angel at www.vancouver.ca/snowangel
· Wear
proper winter footwear to guard against slippery sidewalks. Use main
roads when possible as they tend to have less snow and ice than
residential and side streets;
· We
are strongly recommending that people who drive in snow or winter
conditions use mud and snow tires or all weather tires. The City has
also updated its own vehicle fleet to comply with these recommendations.
· When
the snow thaws, you can help to prevent flooding by clearing leaves from
the catch basins (storm drains) around your home. Leaves collected from
residents’ catch basin, boulevard, sidewalk or property should be put
in their Green Bin or in separate paper leaf
bags for collection.
Warming centres and shelters
In response to this week’s extreme weather alert and as part of the City of Vancouver’s Warming Centre Program,
the following warming centres are open to provide our vulnerable residents with a place to warm up.
Britannia Community Centre - Nov. 4 & 5 from 9pm - 8:30am
Carnegie Community Centre - Nov. 4 & 5 from 11:15pm – 7:00am
Warming centres are activated when the temperature reaches -5°C or below (or it feels like -5°C or below). Community
centres and other public buildings are also available during their open hours as spaces to warm up.
The City is also partnering with BC Housing to provide 300 temporary shelter spaces across 10 locations this
winter, open 24/7 until March 2018. These shelters are currently open:
- 1401 Hornby St., operated by RainCity
- 609 Helmcken St., operated by The Gathering Place/City of Vancouver
- 119 E. Cordova St., operated by Salvation Army
- 134 E. Cordova St., operated by Salvation Army (Harbour Light Chapel Winter Shelter)
- 134 E. Cordova St., operated by Salvation Army (Anchor of Hope Winter Shelter)
Those looking for shelter space can call 2-1-1 to check availability or a full list of shelters is available
here: http://vancouver.ca/people-programs/winter-response-shelter-strategy.aspx
Visit the City’s website for more information on the WinterResponse Shelter Strategy.
-30-
Media Contact:
Corporate Communications
604.871.6336
No comments:
Post a Comment