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Editorial: Snow removal in the cross hairs

Kelowna’s snow removal crews were fighting a losing battle last week
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Kelowna’s snow removal men and women were fighting a losing battle last week.

Not only were they faced with record setting dumps so far this winter, in the court of public opinion, they are being soundly thrashed.

If we had a nickel for every person who says they haven’t seen a snow plow this year, well heck we’d be able to prop up that snow removal budget that the city used up in the final weeks of 2017.

Maybe it’s just a sign of the times and people that are appreciative of the efforts to clear snow are quietly going about their business, happily humming along as they shovel their sidewalk.

Most that we have heard from have nothing good to say about the efforts of the road crews. Just have a gander at page A9 for some of the responses, ranging anywhere from severely P.O.’d to extremely irritated.

But we feel at this point we must stick up for those that are in the snow removal business in this city.

We stand with them as they plow (or not) through the oodles of white stuff that doesn’t seem to have a shut off valve once it starts dumping from the skies in these parts.

One day this year it snowed more than any year ever on that day. And then the next day it pretty much did the same thing.

So if crews are backed up clearing off the streets, it’s with good reason. It’s winter and it’s been snowing. A lot.

Big White calls it champagne powder but it’s anything but that once we drive all over it, spinning our summer tires like mad, creating a sheen of ice at every intersection, then parking on the street because who cares if the city says we shouldn’t?

No, let’s try to have some patience with our road crews, who are out working what is, very obviously, a thankless job.

So let us cry out a word of appreciation to the crews that are trying to keep up with demand.

Thank you for the effort. And if you get a chance to plow our alley one day, that would be great too!

To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.

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kparnell@kelownacapnews.com

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