Saturday's snow may be followed up by more this week, with Tuesday's forecast suggesting some flurries before Burnaby's usual wet winter weather sets in this weekend.
That makes this week the perfect time for Burnaby residents to earn their wings.
Residents are invited to take part in Burnaby's Snow Angel program by adopting a sidewalk for a neighbour in need and keeping it clear for them over the winter.
This year, Burnaby's program has two additional contacts - North Burnaby Pathfinders and, in Central Burnaby, the Kingsway Imperial Neighbourhood Association.
Burnaby Mountain Secondary, in North Burnaby, and the South Burnaby Neighbourhood House Association are still looking for volunteers for their respective areas of the city, as they have during the past two years.
Anyone who volunteers to be a snow angel receives a pin and a certificate of recognition from the city. High school students can use the program for their volunteer hours, and the city issues letters to students' schools.
But being a snow angel isn't the only way Burnaby residents can be good neighbours this winter.
Keep sidewalks and driveways clear, and make sure not to shovel snow into the road as this interferes with drainage.
? Keep storm drains and fire hydrants clear of snow, to reduce the risk of flooding and make sure fire hydrants are accessible.
? Businesses are expected to remove any accumulated snow from sidewalks bordering their property by 10 a.m. on any day the business is open or the area is occupied by the public.
Residents are reminded not to use warm or hot water to clear ice or snow.
The city advises that people keep a shovel and a bag of salt handy in the winter, pile snow on their property when shovelling, keep an emergency kit for their homes and cars, keep children off snow piles or roadside snow banks, check on neighbours in need of assistance, and take transit during bad weather whenever possible.
The city's priority is to keep main routes and emergency response routes clear, bus routes and collector streets, streets near seniors' and long-term care facilities, roads with slopes with only one outlet, and then roads near elementary schools.
The city also prioritizes sidewalk cleaning, focusing on bus stops and wheelchair ramps first, then sidewalks near city facilities, and then pedestrian overpasses.
For more tips, and for information on the Snow Angel program, go to www.burnaby.ca/Page767. aspx.
To volunteer, or to be paired with a snow angel, contact the community representative in your area.
Nick Salvatore ([email protected]) and Cynthia Gingras ([email protected]) are the contacts at Burnaby Mountain Secondary School.
For the North Burnaby Pathfinders, email Stevans4@ shaw.ca.
In Central Burnaby, contact the Kingsway Imperial Neighbourhood Association by email at info@ KINABurnaby.ca, or phone 604-786-2452.
In South Burnaby, contact the South Burnaby Neighbourhood House by email at [email protected], or phone 604-431-0400.
