City crews are making progress on storm cleanup and recovery following December’s ice storm.
“Crews have been working tirelessly to cleanup after the recent ice storm, providing brush chipping in residential areas and cleanup in City parks,” said Martin Neumann, the City’s manager of Forestry. “Staff is working on addressing priorities, specifically clearing access and removing hazards on main community trails and high-traffic park areas, as well as removing damaged branches from residential areas.”
The City’s forestry activities are prioritized as per the following phases:
1. Remove highest-risk hazards: branches hanging over hydro wires, near critical facilities, or blocking roadways or driveways.
2. Address blocked sidewalks.
3. Clear community trails and high-traffic park areas.
4. Remove marked trees, clear boulevards and parks, and prune City trees.
5. Grind up remaining tree stumps and plant replacement trees.
Phase 1 and 2 of cleanup are complete. It is anticipated Phase 3 will be completed by mid-February, and Phase 4 will be wrapped up by late 2014. Crews are concurrently working on Phase 3 and Phase 4 activities to make the most efficient use of equipment and staff resources. The timing of Phase 5 will be based on Phase 4 completion and is estimated to occur in spring 2015 at the earliest.
City crews are working in the hard-hit Brant Avenue/Muskoka Drive area and proceeding to move southward on the city’s east side. Other hard-hit residential areas of the city, including west of the Hanlon Expressway, north of the Speed River, and older residential areas with more mature trees surrounding the downtown have received attention and may be revisited again.
The Eramosa River and the Hanlon Creek trails have been cleared and are open to the public. Work continues on Royal City and Exhibition parks.
The City is asking for people’s patience and assistance during Guelph’s recovery from recent storms.
· Please be patient as City crews continue to pick up and chip branches and brush. Branches that are frozen in snow banks or buried in snow will be addressed after the snow melts.
· Continue to report tree hazards to [email protected] or call 519-837-5628 and include your name, contact information and the street address where the tree is located.
· Bring fallen branches and brush from private properties to the
Waste Resource Innovation Centre
at 110 Dunlop Drive for free disposal.
· Continue to use extreme caution in parks and on trials.
· In areas where the sidewalks have not been cleared, pedestrians and motorists are asked to take extra care and watch out for each other.
· Please keep fire hydrants clear of snow.
· Help keep storm drains clear.
The City’s winter maintenance service helps ensure community safety every day, and in the event of extreme weather. The City will provide continued updates to the community, and invites people to subscribe to updates using Twitter or Facebook.