We're supposed to get our first blast of winter this week.
We received some snow on Tuesday, but the worst of the snow is expected to hit from Wednesday to Friday.
It's hard to believe, since we've had such a beautiful October. Once the storm vacates the region, the temperatures are supposed to plunge. Yes, it's fall in southeast Saskatchewan. The only guarantee we have is unpredictability.
We'll see if we get the two systems that are supposed to blast us, but if we do, we should feel confident in the city's snow-removal plan.
Snow removal is one of those things that most people will be understanding if the city spends more than it expected. You can't just give a rubber stamp when it comes to removing snow from the streets, and you can't bring out the fleet of equipment after two inches of snow.
But if the snow removal is insufficient, then city hall is going to have a lot of angry phone calls after motorists get stuck trying to get to work and to other services. Many of us remember the years when snow removal in Estevan was not at the level it should have been, and those in small cars couldn't navigate the city's secondary roads.
There is a balance that has to be struck, and Estevan's snow removal has been pretty good for a number of years.
If we get two or three inches, the city has motorists pack the snow down. Crews will go out and clear the snow that needs to be removed, using city equipment and without incurring overtime. When it gets icy out, the sand truck does its job.
When a big snowstorm rolls through, then the city has its equipment out early to keep the arterial roads as open as possible. Sometimes, the snow might be so substantial that the city can't keep up – a situation that occurred in April 2022 – but that's beyond the city's control.
When it's time, the city will be out to clear the streets. Yes, it means long days, overtime and outside contractors, but you won't hear many people complaining about the amount of money spent on a very necessary process. And if they do complain, they should go for a drive down a narrow street like Thorn Crescent in a two-door sedan before the snow is cleared and once the process is complete.
Some people might complain that the snow removal doesn't happen fast enough, or they might be upset that their road isn't higher on the priority list, or they might not be pleased that they can't park on the street when the snow is being cleared, but as a whole, the city has a pretty good plan that people are happy with.
And other people have noticed as well, as the city has been asked to make presentations on their procedures. It's not a system that would work well in a larger centre with more roads to clear, but it's pretty good for a community the size of Estevan.
We need to be respectful to these people when they're out doing their jobs, whether it be on the city streets or on the highways. You might not like getting stuck behind a snow plow on Highway 47 or 39, but it is a part of winter.
It's not cheap. So we have to hope the big snow events are kept to a minimum. And the city sometimes has to ask itself whether it's worth having an all-out snow-clearing effort.
But in the end, when you do see the city crews out in full force following the next big storm, ask yourself this question: do you want the city to penny-pinch on snow removal and have a tough time making your way around the community, or do you want the current process?
