Clean up efforts underway to return downtown core to normalcy

[guest]

Life in the downtown core is slowly starting to be reclaimed. While the protesters are gone and the horns and music are now echoes of the past, what was left on City streets was snow and waste. But City crews have swooped in quickly and methodically to clean up and are doing so in line with our reputation as a clean and green capital.

Massive waste removal operation underway

Since late last week, City staff have been helping to remove garbage and debris, as well as plowing snow from areas they couldn’t access during the occupation. Currently, around 16 large 25 cubic meter waste bins have been filled, or over 400 cubic meters. To get an idea on how much rubbish that is, just one cubic meter is like filling up your home bathtub more than six times.

The cleanup process has been methodical to help us remain green. This includes sorting through all the rubbish to ensure that food products aren’t sent to the landfills. Fuels, such as diesel, gasoline, kerosene and propane were safely collected and disposed of.

Next steps

Even after all the garbage has been collected and disposed of, and all the streets, sidewalks, and paths have been plowed and salted, there is still work to do. Over the next few days, residents might see restrictions to downtown roads where heavy vehicles parked or where makeshift “supply stations” were created by protesters. City crews will be inspecting infrastructure, such as buildings, sidewalks, roads and catch basins, both above and below ground for any signs of damage. Any repairs to fix these damages will be done where necessary.

Once these infrastructure safety inspections are complete, the City will also work to retrieve the hundreds of cement and wood barricades and traffic barrels that had been placed on City streets.

We thank you for your patience while this is taking place. The process requires the use of a forklift for the cement barricades and it will take some time to retrieve each one. Once all barricades are removed, roads crews will also need to go through the streets once more to remove missed snow and to salt.

The City is working diligently to complete this work so that pedestrians, transit users, and vehicles are able to fully access the downtown core.

For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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