Olds Town crews were out Wednesday morning helping to clear downed trees and overhanging branches as a result of Tuesday night's snow, but an even bigger concern was the fact the snow set back the Uptowne Olds rehabilitation project yet again.
Olds Town crews were out Wednesday morning helping to clear downed trees and overhanging branches as a result of Tuesday night's snow, but an even bigger concern was the fact the snow set back the Uptowne Olds rehabilitation project yet again.
"We have just sent out a crew from Parks and Facilities to go around and deal with some of those that are either down or hanging, impeding sidewalks and things," Co-Chief Operating Officer Doug Wagstaff says.
Co-Chief Operating Officer Scott Chant says, "after talking to our Public Works Foreman and Parks Foreman they have informed me that they have seen quite a bit of damage throughout town, not only in the parks but trees in private yards that have fallen across sidewalks and some even on power lines."
"Town has a large number of staff out working on trimming trees to prevent further damage and are also working at moving trees off the sidewalks for safe passage."
"The full effect of the damage may not be known for awhile as crews work in these areas they may find more branches broken higher up that cannot be seen from a distance."
"Homeowners need to check there trees for stress on the branches and to make sure that branches do not fall on their homes or vehicles, Trees that are in their back yards and are over hanging the alley and broken branches blocking alleys will need to be cleared."
Wagstaff notes ironically, the Town called on citizens last week to trim trees to cut down on snow accumulation. Through Facebook, they're now urging residents to shake trees in their neighbourhoods to get rid of snow as well.
In the case of the Uptowne Olds project, there's not much that can be done beyond waiting for Mother Nature to dry the area out, Wagstaff says.
Wagstaff says the work by Parks and Facilities workers won't have any impact on the Town budget.
He's frustrated by the fact the snow will delay the Uptowne Olds project. Since July 21, 50th Avenue from 50th Street to 52nd Street has been torn up so crews can replace old sewer and water lines as well as sidewalks and install new "heritage-style" street lights.
Town officials had hoped to have that work done by the end of September or so. Next year, finishing touches to the project will be done – things like installing benches as well as garbage and recycling bins and bike racks.
"The biggest (issue) for us right now is the delay it's going to create around the Uptowne rehabilitation. Certainly a couple of weeks of good weather and we would have had that done and complete," Wagstaff says.
"So now we're going to have to wait for at least a good solid few days (of warm weather) -- which looks like it's in the forecast – to help clear up and dry it up and get back at it. That'll be nice for our construction projects on Uptowne as well as some of the resurfacing of trails."
Despite the snow this week, Wagstaff says the Uptowne project remains basically on time and on budget.
However, "it's concerning," he says. "We get to this time of the year of course it takes a few more days to do the drying after any precipitation. Even a month ago, if we had a little rain, half a day (of dry weather) and we're back at it. We're still confident we'll get that nice weather here through September and get it complete."
A couple of local retailers surveyed by the Albertan say so far, the snow hasn't had a big impact on business.
Olds Canadian Tire Owner Mike Asaris says his store has sold some toques, mitts and snow brushes, but sales of those items Wednesday weren't up drastically.
"It hasn't really had a positive or a negative impact," he says.
He expects to see sales of those items pick up around the end of October/early November "when people are in more of a winter mood."
Home Hardware store manager Tasha Bieber says so far, the snow hasn't resulted in a run on things like snow shovels snow scrapers or snow melting materials, but staff have set those items out where customers can find them.
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