During the Jan. 14 Olds council meeting, snow removal was spoken about again — this time for an hour.
The issue first arose in council chambers on Dec. 17 when members of the Uptowne Olds Committee expressed concerns about the delay in snow removal during a policies and priorities meeting.
Administration is now reviewing and discussing the policies around snow removal and will bring the issue up again during an undetermined future date to finalize the reworked policy.
Council looked over a brochure that would be made available to Uptowne businesses and residents, regarding what happens in case of a major snow event, which is defined as an event in which more than seven centimetres (cm) or more of snow accumulates.
It was also suggested that there be an overnight street parking ban during the winter months of the year (Oct. 1 to April 30) in the Uptowne area and that permanent signage would be erected regarding the rules.
Coun. Wade Bearchell expressed concern about a ban on overnight parking in the area because that could affect people who may be drinking at one of the Uptowne establishments.
“It seems overly restrictive to me and you can't move it so you can't get your vehicle and move it into a parking lot like Shoppers'. That's illegal,” said Coun. Bearchell.
“Maybe things get out of hand. You may not go there with the intention of having five drinks,” said Bearchell. “I think it’s a valid concern, especially given that we’re a college and hockey town.”
Chief Administration Officer Michael Merritt said the idea came up during a meeting with the Uptowne committee. It was suggested that a ban could help avoid a similar issue with street sweeping.
