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Rotary Way section gets higher snow-clearing priority

Cranbrook city council voted to reclassify a section of Rotary Way adjacent to Victoria Avenue as a higher snow-ploughing priority after some prodding from Councillor Ron Popoff.
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Cranbrook city council voted to reclassify a section of Rotary Way adjacent to Victoria Avenue as a higher snow-ploughing priority after some prodding from Councillor Ron Popoff.

Popoff made the request at the last council meeting a few weeks ago, asking that the section along Victoria Ave between 2nd St. North and Kootenay Street be upgraded to a higher snow-clearing priority.

Currently, the city clears sidewalks after the roads as time and equipment permit, however, the change will direct public works staff to consider Rotary Way alongside Victoria avenue a higher priority.

“The roads will take priority, number one,” said Derrrick Anderson, the Director of Public Works. “So when we do get snowfall, the snow will be going on that portion of Rotary Way until we get time to remove it and that’s after all the roads are complete.”

Popoff led the discussion, noting that while the city doesn’t plough the entire Rotary Way during the winter season, that particular section should be cleared as well. While Rotary Way isn’t a sidewalk per se, it runs adjacent to Victoria Ave, which is classified as a high priority route that provides access to hospitals, schools, and extended care facilities.

“As Victoria Avenue is deemed to be a major street, or hospital zone, this section of pathway adjacent to Victoria would fit within the similar usage with regard to the sidewalk system prioritization, similar to the sidewalk on the adjacent side of the street,” reads a city staff report.

Anderson confirmed to Councillor Isaac Hockley that city streets are the first priority after snowfall, but once the streets are clear, then sidewalks and the section of Rotary Way can been cleared.

Councillor Mike Peabody was the lone vote against the change, as he was concerned that the change would spark more requests to clear more sections of Rotary Way throughout the winter months.

“I don’t see why this one [section] gets precedence over something else,” Peabody said.



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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