The first big snowstorm in five years left motorists stranded, downed trees and taxed City of Parksville public works crews overnight Monday. And the worst may be yet to come.
As much as 20 centimetres of snow fell in some areas of the mid-Island, causing multiple vehicle accidents and driving homeless residents into the extreme-weather shelter. Schools remained open Tuesday, though power and water outages delayed opening at two area elementary schools.
“We haven’t had snow like that in five years; we had all our equipment dispatched,” Parksville Operations Manager Mike Squire said. “And from what we’re seeing in the forecast, this Thursday and Friday we’re expected to see anywhere from eight inches to one foot of snow.”
Oceanside RCMP estimated the storm, which began Monday afternoon and continued well into the night, added 15 files to its caseload, including eight or nine vehicle accidents.
“Around 3:45 p.m. (Monday) the radio went nuts,” said Cpl. Jesse Foreman, RCMP spokesperson. “It seemed to be coming mostly from Nanoose Bay and Errington; on their commute home people found those areas quite difficult.”
Squire confirmed the Parksville-Nanoose Bay corridor was particularly hard-hit, with some motorists simply pulling to the side of the road when they found themselves unable to navigate the heavy, wet snow.
“A lot of cars were stranded on Northwest Bay Road,” he said. “That’s a little outside our area, but our crews went ahead and cleared that.”
Squire added that many trees toppled Monday night, including one that landed on a house and others that toppled across roadways.
“And they’re not breaking; it’s taking down the entire tree and root system, because everything has gotten so saturated.”
At the extreme weather shelter in Parksville, six people took advantage of hot meals and a sleeping mat Monday night in a facility that can hold as many as eight, said Violet Hayes, executive director of the Island Crisis Care Society. The shelter, open from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m., provides a hot dinner and a breakfast in addition to a warm, dry place to sleep.
“Right now, we’re on an extreme-weather alert, so B.C. Housing funding kicks in,” said Hayes. “How long we stay open depends on the weather, but definitely the longer you’re open the better it is. Word gets out and more people are willing to come than when you’re opening for a night or two at a time.”
Hayes said the shelter had its peak usage of seven people at the end of a week-long opening in late November. With the conditions forecast for the coming week, it is likely to remain open throughout.
The weather forecast calls for mostly clear skies and cold temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday, but the snow is expected to return Thursday, with continued snow showers or mixed snow and rain each day through Monday.
“As a result of the plowing (Monday night) there’s a lot of heavy snow we have to remove,” said Squire. “Otherwise, it will freeze up and we’ll have a skating rink.”
Both Squire and Foreman cautioned the public to be aware of conditions when planning to drive, and if the trip isn’t absolutely necessary to wait until the snow has passed and road are cleared to travel.
“If people don’t have to go out during an event like that, please stay at home,” said Squire. “It helps us get the roads cleared easier and emergency services can move more efficiently.
“If we can get vehicles off the road and into driveways, that helps, too.”
Squire said the city has only two dump trucks and a pair of 3/4-ton trucks available to remove snow, along with a backhoe and a versatile tractor. He said in the event of a major snowfall like Monday’s, residents on cul-de-sacs and side streets must be patient, as highways and arterials will get first priority for plowing.
“We just can’t be everywhere at all times,” he said. “The guys did a great job. We had our most experienced crews out there. Now, some of the new guys are getting their on-the-job training.”
For updates on potential school closures or bus route changes, check with local radio stations or visit the School District 69 website at www.sd69.bc.ca.
The extreme-weather shelter hotline, which provides notice of openings at the shelter, is 250-954-3082.
