This will be the last time we ever listen to a groundhog.
Just days after groundhog day told us we’re headed for an early spring, Mother Nature told us we are still in a wild winter and thoughts of sun and shade and sipping in our sandals were hammered to the back-burner, yet again this week.
Right now summer seems as likely as city council listening to a majority of residents on a hot topic issue. This week we have all been immersed in what seems like the most snow we have seen in these parts since, well since a couple years ago anyhow.
Remember when it snowed for two days straight? Thankfully we haven’t quite been hit with that kind of dump, although one should knock on wood when speaking of the weather these days.
This most recent snowstorm(s), it seems, has people at the end of their winter rope. City hall is said to have received hundreds of complaints about their snow removal strategy (!) and we here at the Capital News have heard a few complaints as well.
But we have to give our city crews a bit of a break on this one. When it snows day after day, they have to keep the primary, school and emergency routes clean. Yes, it means your alley in Rutland is going to be a mess for awhile. But deal with it kids. This is Canada!
This snowmageddon as we have come to know the 2016-17 season has city council ripping through its snow removal budget quicker than Tourism Kelowna is packing its bags; our first-responders are so busy heading to accidents that they can barely deal with the latest overdose calls (there was a double-OD on the scanner Thursday) and residents’ skills behind the wheel in icy conditions are being tested.
To say we are ready for summer is a slight understatement.
But we do find all of the complaints about snow removal a tad tedious. Despite the fact that Kelowna is blessed with amazing weather, it’s not just the sunshine. Snowfall has its own beauty (!!) It’s peaceful, serene, scenic and just lovely. They don’t call it champagne powder for nothin’!
We agree we’ve had enough and we are still hopeful a groundhog can help.
In the meantime, get out there and shovel your sidewalk. You know the city isn’t going to do it.
