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Re-check your snow zones

Parking bans for residents start tonight

By: Kevin Rollason and Bill Redekop

Posted: 11/12/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 11/12/2012 11:57 AM | Updates

Nathan Ashmead and Allison Bingham cross-country ski down Wellington Crescent Sunday. (JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

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Kate Persson, 10, pulls her brother, Thomas, 6, in a sled in Transcona Sunday.

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Bailey, a three-year-old poodle cross, runs through the freshly fallen snow in Island Lakes Sunday. ( BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

Think you know your snow zone for getting your vehicle off the street?

Better check again.

Ken Boyd, the city’s manager of streets maintenance in the public works department, said Monday if people checked their snow zone last year – when the lack of substantial snow resulted in no residential snow plowing all season — they might find things have changed.

"We made changes due to garbage and recycling pickup," he said.

"There’s a good chance your zone has changed from last year."

Boyd said all of the residential streets will be plowed in five 12-hour shifts starting tonight at 7 p.m., with the first parking ban from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. in zones D, F, I, M, N, R and V.

The next parking ban starts on Tuesday at 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and includes zones E, H, K, O, S and U.

Residents who don’t move their vehicle will receive a $150 ticket, $75 if paid within two weeks, and be towed by the city to a street that has already been plowed or to a zone that is not scheduled to be plowed at that time.

For more information go to www.knowyourzone.winnipeg.ca.

Expect some tricky driving -- and walking -- the next few days because Winnipeg streets won't be completely cleared until Thursday morning, following the weekend storm that dumped 20 centimetres of snow across most of southern Manitoba.

"It will take five 12-hour shifts" beginning tonight to fully clean residential streets, said Boyd.

Salting and sanding of streets will follow behind snow-clearing crews — salting on main streets, sanding on residential areas.

Sales of snowblowers, shovels and sleds brisk

There were no serious injuries reported from a multitude of collisions and rollovers on Manitoba roadways. But clearly the snowstorm was a reality check.

At the Canadian Tire store on Regent Avenue, there was a four-hour wait for people to have their snow tires installed on Saturday.

"Last week, you could get them done instantly," said Dave Prokipchuk, store manager. Sales of shovels, snowblowers and sleds were also brisk, he said.

The snow got a thumbs-up from various people in the recreation business.

"I just finished shovelling for an hour and a half. Otherwise, I love the snow," said Roz Pulo, director of marketing for the Asessippi Ski Area & Resort.

The ski hill opens Dec. 7. Asessippi had already begun running its snow-making machine but the weekend snowfall will reduce its costs considerably. "Although this looks like plenty of snow, our goal is to have a two-foot base," said Pulo.

There's also a psychological factor tied to the weekend snowstorm. "When there's snow in your backyard, you're ready to come skiing," Pulo said. Asessippi has also completed a $500,000 upgrade for a "magic carpet" to carry people to the top of its bunny hill and tubing area.

J.F. Ravenelle, president and general manager of Gord's Ski and Bike, seconded approval of the weekend snow.

"It's awesome. We had our best day (Saturday) traffic-wise since the summer. Nobody was coming in the doors for the last few weeks, it was dead, dead, dead. Then boom, it snows and the store is full of people. Thank God for snow. I'm probably the only guy saying (to the weatherman), 'C'mon, you promised us 30 centimetres!'" he said.

Ravenelle said jackets, skis and snowboards were moving off the shelves and the lineups for its Junior Lease program, in which Gord's rents used ski and snowboard equipment to kids for the winter for a set price of $100, were long.

"The Pavlovian response for people is ridiculous. They could have done this last week but the snow triggered it," he said.

Outside of Winnipeg, the Trans-Canada Highway reopened after 10 a.m. Sunday after being closed west of Headingley to Portage la Prairie at about 11 p.m. Saturday, RCMP said.

-- with files from Geoff Kirbyson

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 12, 2012 A4

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Updated on Monday, November 12, 2012 at 11:57 AM CST: Update with new files.

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