The City of Vancouver is getting ready for more snow and ice coming this way.
Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for the South Coast with the white stuff expected to start falling Friday morning, tapering off late in the afternoon with accumulations of between five and 10 centimetres.
A second wave of snow is expected to move across the region Friday night.
“Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations,” the warning reads. “Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow. There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic in urban areas.”
“For the last week, we have been out to brine the streets in advance of snow flurries and to help reduce ice caused by freezing weather,” Taryn Scollard, director of streets for the city, said in a press release. “When we see weather reports such as what is anticipated this weekend, we also pull crews from other departments, such a water and sewer construction crews, to help support salting and snow removal at sidewalk and bus stops. We have been active over the past week to salt high-risk areas.”
After last winter, city council approved capital investments to purchase additional equipment including expanding the city’s fleet of vehicles that are adaptable for use in all seasons, allowing better access to laneways for garbage and green bin collection. Vancouver also upgraded its salt and brine storage capacity.
The city’s warming centres, which have been open since Feb. 18, will continue to be open as long as temperatures reach -5C or below, or it feels like -5C or colder.
“Warming centres accommodate everyone in need of a warm space, a welcoming presence and something warm to eat or drink,” Ethel Whitty, director of homeless services, said in a press release. “They’re an important way for us to make sure that some of the most vulnerable residents in the city are able to keep safe and warm during these extreme temperatures.”
Warming centres are located at:
- Britannia Community Centre – 1739 Venables Street 9 p.m. to 8:30 a.m.
- Carnegie Community Centre – 401 Main Street 11:15 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- West End Community Centre – 870 Denman Street 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
