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Regina’s Julian Branch knows the sound of shovelling and blowing snow all too well.
He spent days clearing out his driveway and road while also helping free his neighbours.
Every year, high drifts of snow blow into Cowie Road in Albert Park South due to the open field from the Dr. A.E. Perry School grounds.
“It’s been happening for the past almost 20 years,” Branch said.
“When we moved here in 2001, the city used to erect a snow fence on the school yard just across the street. We didn’t have a problem. But they stopped doing that.
“Ever since then, at least once, twice, three times a year when we get a big storm, and especially the blowing winds, the snow drifts into all the houses here on Cowie Road, especially on the east side of the road, because there’s nothing to stop it.”
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He said residents end up with three to five feet of snowdrifts. This leaves people trapped in their driveways and homes, especially the elderly living on the street.
“We have seniors on this block who literally are housebound,” Branch said. “They cannot get out of their driveways.
“It’s a matter of health and safety, quite frankly. If there’s a medical emergency, these people are housebound, and emergency vehicles would have a tough time getting down the street.”
The road conditions were so poor, that Cowie Road resident Julian Branch says he helped multiple vehicles get out of the snow this week. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
Branch wants to see a more long-term solution, like snow fences or snow ridges to avoid further snow buildup.
In a statement from the City of Regina, it said both methods are not applicable in the area.
It said the city stopped using snow fences in 2017 to manage snow after a pilot study which found snow ridges to be more effective.
However, according to the city, some areas are not suitable for a snow ridge.
“Snow ridging is utilized in suitable locations once there is enough snow and crews are working on those now,” the statement read. “Unfortunately, snow ridges are not a solution for well-developed residential areas with nearby trees and buildings like Cowie Road, and work best in the outer areas of the city.”
When asked why neither method could work on Cowie Road the city said:
- This is a well-developed mature area, not a new subdivision.
- There are several wind barriers in this location, including the trees in the open area behind the school.
- Space is not sufficient for the snow ridge to be effective and safe. Frequent movement of heavy equipment in a school’s open space to create and maintain snow ridges through winter season may not be safe.
- Increased plowing in residential areas is now more frequent, as 15 cm of snow now triggers winter maintenance instead of 25 cm like before.
- Crews are able to respond quickly to service calls relating to streets like Cowie Road.
According to Branch, parents use Cowie Road to pick up and drop off their kids. Ridges and snow drifts made that nearly impossible this past week. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
Branch thinks a snow ridge is a good idea.
“Not only could my neighbors and I have protection from the snow, but the kids could have a very small hill on which to slide,” he said. “So seemed like a win win to me.”
Branch said anything and everything got stuck on Cowie Road, including a delivery truck and snow removal equipment.
“If you don’t have a four wheel drive, chances are you’re you’re probably going to be stuck on the street,” he said.
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Branch said he is in contact with his new Ward 2 councillor George Tsiklis.
He understands a lot of the city council is new, but remains cautiously optimistic it will find a solution to the ongoing problem.
“I know they’ve got a steep learning curve ahead of them, but that’s what city council is — it’s garbage removal and snow removal,” Branch said.
Branch said a snowplow came to his street five days after the initial snowfall.
The city said it is aware of the issue.
“Winter maintenance crews have been continuously servicing and monitoring the identified trouble spots in the city where blown-in conditions are regularly reported,” a city statement read.
“The city uses a dedicated crew for such locations, and takes immediate steps to ensure winter driving conditions are restored on these roads as quickly as possible.”
As well as residential plows, the city also deploys underbody plows in residential areas to help with ruts, and encourages people to download the Sweep&Plow app or register to get notification on the residential plow schedules.
Julian Branch spent hours digging himself out of his own home after a Regina snow storm blast. (Julian Branch/submitted)