Snowplow mishap blamed for burying Vernon businesses' sidewalks

Some business owners along Highway 97 in Vernon feel like they've been getting the cold shoulder recently.

Snowplows plowed the stretch of highway as assigned on Sunday and Monday mornings, but in doing so, buried the nearby sidewalks with dirty, mucky snow kicked up from the road.

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"The snowplows basically covered the complete sidewalk to my door, about a foot and a half up, with snow," Mary Wood, who owns Colour Time Ceramics, told Radio West host Audrey McKinnon.

Wood says the plowing work took place on Saturday without issue, but the two days since have been a problem.

She says she and an employee had to shovel out the snow before they could open up the front door and even had to pry it out of the doorjamb, which had become completely plugged with snow.

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"I mean, I was laughing, but I wasn't happy, either," she said. "I'm actually surprised I didn't get a broken window out of it."

When asked for their response, JPW Road and Bridge, which plows the area on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation, said the issue hadbeen dealt with through the individual driver and is considered resolved.

With files from CBC Radio One's Radio West