Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Snow no match for our grounds crew

It wasn't quite the storm that we were expecting, but it was still enough to put all-hands-on-deck in Physical Plant's grounds department. They worked overnight to make short work of the recent snow fall.

All eight full-time staff and four part-timers were in early to get the roads/sidewalks cleared as the wind and snow whipped through SW Ontario on the morning of February 2. Using their arsenal of equipment, the team aims to have the campus uncovered by 6am - that usually means their shift will begin at midnight. Some of the larger lots (such as Althouse and Springett) and stairways are contracted to ease the massive undertaking.

Western has roughly 17km of roadway, even more distance in sidewalk, and about 7,000 parking lots that need to be plowed and de-iced.