While the temperature is dropping at rapid speeds, so, too, are the leaves.
Behind schedule, the City of Montreal is now tasked with a massive leaf removal operation and the clock is ticking.
On Thursday one of the biggest collection efforts was underway in Riviére-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles.
“We have a lot of houses, we have a lot of trees on the territory, we have a lot of green waste in the borough,” Françios Paquet, head of the road division for the borough of Rivière-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles, said.
Using bulldozers and heavy machinery, more than 500 workers hit the pavement to collect the over 18,000 tons of fall foliage.
The annual large-scale operation normally takes three to six weeks to complete, according to city spokesperson Philippe Sabourin.
“It’s a massive quantity of leaves falling in Montreal,” Sabourin said. “It’s a race against the clock. We know for sure that winter is coming.”
The work is starting later in the season than usual; not all the leaves have fallen because of the warmer temperatures in October.
“We have a high temperature in autumn so now we are two or three weeks behind schedule so the green waste is going to stay a little longer,” Paquet said.
The city’s biggest concern is the general safety of residents and its vital infrastructure.
“Sidewalks become dangerous, it can be slippery. The leaves can also obstruct the sewer. This is why it is so important to grab those leaves,” Sabourin said.
The city is encouraging residents to lend a hand by mulching the majority of leaves that have fallen on their property.
Any leaves raked up for the curb need to be in paper bags or compost containers.
Comments