CALGARY – The City of Calgary says they hope to finish cleaning up damage left behind from the September snowstorm by mid-November.
The snowstorm hit on September 8th and lasted for three days, breaking hundreds of branches and downing dozens of power lines.
Crews have completed an initial clean of 70 communities, sweeping debris from streets and alleys and dropping off 10,000 tonnes of trees for mulching at city landfills.
More than 60 communities are included in plans for a second-round of debris removal before mid-October, and 80 communities will be swept again before mid-November, depending on the weather.
WATCH: Rescue dog experiences first snowfall in Calgary
The City of Calgary says the communities with the most debris are those with mature trees, and require heavy equipment to remove fallen trees and branches.
Communities targeted in the second sweep have smaller trees and branches, but still require some heavy equipment to remove debris.
Private companies busy
“Things are hectic and overwhelmed” says Phil Renaud, crew leader with Tree Frog Tree Care.
Renaud says existing customers are being served first, with the priority being the removal of dangerous branches off homes and garages.
He says it’s so busy, it will be at least a month before non-storm requests can be addressed.
Tree debris disposal options
Anyone who has debris they wish to dispose of can do so until November 9th at any of the city’s 32 Leaf & Pumpkin drop-off sites or free-of-charge at any of The City’s three landfills.
Starting Monday, landfills will be going back to regular hours – closing at 5:30, instead of 7:30 pm.
More information
Additional information on debris cleanup can be found on The City of Calgary’s Frequently Asked Questions page.
Comments