How has the snow had an impact?

[Dude]

This is very cool...no pun intended.

Green use for white snow: Ottawa probes cool potential to save energy

 

[Kevin Hector]

Honestly, it is stupid, isn’t it?

I don’t care that we have “different” snow. Have a plan. No, we don’t need more equipment, because this so infrequently happens. But, every winter, we get at least one dump that lasts a week or so that seems to shut everything down because we aren’t prepared. It’s simple: create a small, yearly contingency budget that can be tapped when needed. Mandate this to all levels of government that are responsible for roads. Use that money to pay for overtime, and hire private contractors. The union will hate this, but fcuk them, you need to do what is sensible. Establish a list of private guys w/ equipment that can be brought in to do small jobs on a contract basis. I.e.: bobcat owners to clear the sidewalks so elderly people can go about their routines, and kids can walk to school in safety. This isn’t fcuking rocket science. I’ll give you an example on a micro scale: here in Port Kells where our building is, most complexes have snow cleared in their parking lots. I had NONE yesterday morning. Why? Because we have a small portion of our strata fees allocated monthly for this stuff. Same applies to most businesses in the area. The roads to get here? A disgrace. Cars stuck everywhere, people late getting in, deliveries late or cancelled…and Port Kells is a very busy, active industrial / business center. A little bit of snow and the area is crippled for regular, every day business.

A plan of action is not unachievable. In our neighbourhood alone we’ve grown by 3 times in the last four years. The house values have increased 60% in that span. The city is racking it in on property taxes. Same applies in many cities w/ bustling, growing business strata complexes. You think your house property taxes are high? My building, at 2200 sq. ft, is about 3 times higher than our house at 3900 sq ft building plus land.

This wouldn’t take a relatively great deal of money to accomplish, just prudent planning. This isn’t a reform of the medical system we’re talking about, it’s a simple plan that year after year gets bottled. Not just in Langley, but everywhere in the Lower Mainland. Not acceptable.

That's what I have been doing the last three or so weeks, getting my guys out with a private contractor to clear all the westcoast express parking lots and side walks. I thought the city would be doing this but they don't.

 

[Tim Berners-Lee]

our new mayor has returned from mexico to save the day

 

[Polska]

why dont the buses have chains out here?

 

[trece verde]

why dont the buses have chains out here?

...because allegedly they don't make make them that size. Or the other story I heard: "nobody makes snow tires for the type of buses we have here."



BS detector is now set to high...

 

[The Franchise]

That's what I have been doing the last three or so weeks, getting my guys out with a private contractor to clear all the westcoast express parking lots and side walks. I thought the city would be doing this but they don't.

You people have no sniff....everything has a budget and obivously they are over it

 

[girth]

The city guys just today used a bobcat to dig out the public bus stop right across from my driveway? Yet they tell me to have my sidewalk done at 10 am after it snows??? It's been over 2 weeks since it first snowed and people have had no place to stand for the bus?

 

[Polska]

...because allegedly they don't make make them that size. Or the other story I heard: "nobody makes snow tires for the type of buses we have here."



BS detector is now set to high...

strange cause all the buses in bellingham and seattle got em

 

[Yoda]

Local rag says Maple Ridge budgeted $175K and has spent $750K
Yikes!

 

[Stepchild]

Had some good laughs at Transit this season so far.......... Drivers pulling into snow to pick up passangers....oops stuck. Another dumb move, bus fails to make it up a hill so spins blocking both lanes. Nice. THEN, the next bus approaches only to do the same thing. Awsome. Witnessed that 2 different times in Vancouver.
Anyone else? Chains seem obvious since firetrucks etc have em!