We set another record last week, Campbell River!
Yay for us!
I’m speaking, of course, about our record snowfall last Wednesday, when 34.8 cm of snow fell on Campbell River. That was apparently the most snow to ever hit our town in a 24-hour period on Jan. 15.
Warning: rant ahead.
Although we live in one of the least “wintery” areas of Canada, it seems we get one or two big dumps of the white stuff every year, usually in January or February. And yet, every year, there are people who seem surprised, despite the warnings that it’s about to happen.
Now don’t get me wrong, Environment Canada isn’t what I would call “awesome” at predicting the weather. I’ve seen them report that it’s currently raining when I can clearly see out my window that it’s a bright sunny day.
But when they say there’s a storm a brewin’, it’s pretty safe to say we’ll feel something, even if they’re wrong on the exact location it’s going to pass over the Island, or even the exact day it’s going to hit the coast of Canada.
And yet, every time, there are many people who look out at the snow-covered street in front of their house and have no idea what to do.
They don’t have a vehicle that can handle it – which I don’t blame them for, because you shouldn’t buy a dining room table that seats 12 because you hosted your whole family for Christmas that one time – and apparently they don’t even have a shovel, based on the amount of snow-clearing I saw happening in residential areas last Thursday.
Now, I can’t get on a high horse and claim to be better than anyone in this regard. I’m guilty, too, of shoveling my way to the door of my truck last Thursday morning and going to work, thinking something along the lines of “it’ll just melt in a couple of days anyway,” and going about my business.
So I guess I’m including myself in this rant.
I do, however, have a vehicle – and tires – that can handle it (so I’m not a danger to others on the road), and I absolutely say yes to the kid who shows up at my door, shovel in hand, offering his services for a fee.
And that’s who this column is actually aimed at. The rant is over, by the way.
This column is to thank those who stepped up during last week’s storm and helped. It’s for those who shoveled their neighbour’s sidewalk while they were doing their own. It’s for those who saw someone stuck somewhere and got out of their own vehicle to help push. It’s for those who checked on elderly neighbours and dropped off food or other things for people who couldn’t make it out of their driveways or up their street until the snowplows got to them. It’s for the entrepreneurs who grabbed a shovel and made a few bucks.
It’s also to thank the people who took advantage of the situation by taking their kids sledding or making snowmen in their yard rather than complaining about it on Facebook. Those people are the worst.
Overall, it was a good blast of snow. Not only in terms of the amount, but also in how people dealt with it.
Good on ya, Campbell River.
Then again, this one only stuck around for a couple of days. We’ll have to see what happens when the next one shows up and lasts a week.
Which, by the way, is probably in a couple of weeks. Go buy that shovel you decided you didn’t need because it was just going to melt right away.
You too, Davies.
miked@campbellrivermirror.com
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