Many Charlottetown sidewalks not plowed yet, but city still pleased with work

Many Charlottetown sidewalks remain unplowed Monday evening, more than 24 hours after a winter storm ended that dumped 42 centimetres of snow on the P.E.I. capital.

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Some parents of students posted on social media Monday morning asking why the sidewalks around Spring Park and St. Jean Elementary schools weren't plowed before school started.

Terry Bernard, chair of the City's Public Works Committee, explained when plows went out at noon Sunday, the priority was clearing church parking lots.

"There's still priority for churches. There're still evening masses. A lot of people may not have got to the morning masses because of the storm," he said.

'Hard to please everybody'

It was a matter of the storm's timing and the volume of snow, Bernard said.

"Had it had been on a Tuesday they would have been able to get right at the school zones right away and would have had those last two done," Bernard said. "It's hard to please everybody."

When there is 20 to 25 centimetres of snow, the goal is to have the dozen plows clear the sidewalks within 12 to 15 hours.

'Improvements are there'

Given the city received about twice that amount, Bernard is pleased with crews' performance.

"I look at the advancements that have been made over the years with improvements in gear and heavy equipment. You know, when you look at 42 centimetres of snow, you look at that three or four years ago it wouldn't have been completed in the time that we completed this one. So improvements are there," he said.

"Are we still looking to make more improvements? Yeswe are."

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