Expect to see more snow plows on Kelowna side streets as council increases snow budget

KELOWNA – Look for more snow routes and better side street snow removal next winter in Kelowna.

With service requests up and more snow as the “new normal” Kelowna councillors agreed to adjust the annual snow removal budget by $400,000, bringing it to $2 million.

Public works manager Darryl Astofooroff told councillors the city has already spent 85 per cent of the $1.6 million budgeted for 2018.

The budget covers the calendar year, so the remaining 15 per cent has to cover snow removal for November and December in 2018, two months that have seen significant snowfall in the last three years.

Council also agreed to add four more snow routes to the existing network although the bulk of the budget increase is aimed at priority three service requests for side streets.

Astofooroff told councillors that snow removal in Kelowna has become increasingly complex with more hillside streets and multi-use paths that need attention during snow events.

A separate contract would be awarded for those types of snow removal, he added.

Councillors often field angry calls from homeowners living on snow clogged side streets and wasted little time debating the budget increase before passing it unanimously.

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