Gigantic Wilkes snow dump will replace two smaller ones

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This article was published 07/06/2023 (864 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One city snow dump is set to make a short move and another has permanently closed but the City of Winnipeg is confident it can still store all the white stuff next winter brings.

The city is hiring a contractor to design and manage the construction needed to relocate the Wilkes snow disposal site. The site is already located at the West End Water Pollution Control Centre and is expected to move to a new spot on that property, according to a request for proposals. The move is required because the province expropriated the current snow dump site to provide room to relocate a service road off the Perimeter Highway, said Michael Cantor, the city’s manager of streets maintenance.

While the Kenaston Boulevard snow dump closed late last year to make way for new development, the city is confident it can build one site large enough to replace its 350,000-cubic-metre capacity and the 400,000-cubic-metre capacity of the current West End site.

“We are planning to build a site that will accommodate both. The intent is not to reduce the snow storage capacity citywide. There’s no risk for that,” said Cantor.

Council’s public works chairwoman said she’s also confident the city will have enough capacity to handle all of its snow in future winters.

“If you (see) the field (at the West End site), it’s massive…. It’s just going to be a bigger snow dump (there),” said Coun. Janice Lukes, who added she expects the improved service road will also produce benefits for the city.

“The city wanted to relocate (the snow disposal site) because it was flooding out the ditches and there was a big backup…. (This change is) improving drainage, it’s improving accessibility for vehicles and they’re just (moving the dump) a little further south,” she said.

Cantor said the city hopes to begin construction on the relocated larger snow dump in the fall. He said the site will operate this year, even if some final construction work is needed in 2024.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga