After angering merchants on Cartier Avenue earlier this week, Quebec City's snow removal efforts again left many dissatisfied this weekend as parking and traffic there were extremely difficult.
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The city, particularly the Société de développement Commercial (SDC) Montcalm, had also announced that snow loading would not begin until Sunday evening. The snow removal from the streets therefore resulted in large piles of snow being left behind in the parking lots.
“We're fighting to keep our commercial arteries alive and we want to spur economic development, but at the same time if we're not able to accommodate people because they can't park, then they're going to leave. Going to malls, so that’s really crap,” says SDC Montcalm general manager Marie Langlois.
“We're in the middle of the football series and normally it would be full, but people aren't coming because they don't have parking. “We’re really starting to get over the disgust,” explains Pub Galway owner Yves Ledoux.
With parking spaces virtually inaccessible due to snow accumulation, motorists wanting to park had to encroach onto a portion of the avenue, making traffic in both directions virtually impossible.
Photo credit: Nicolas St-Pierre
“It's Groundhog Day again and it really shows the incompetence of those dealing with this issue. It makes you wonder whether they really have the citizens’ interests at heart,” adds Mr Ledoux.
Better, but not perfect
The picture is similar on Avenue Maguire. Although SDC Maguire general manager Bruno Salvail acknowledged the efforts and said he was “pleasantly surprised” by the work done, some traders appeared rather disheartened.
“It is an extremely difficult situation. Parking is already an important issue in Maguire, so people there hardly have anywhere to park,” explains Nathan Todd, co-owner of Au Petit Chalet restaurant.
“On Saturday alone I lost at least sixty reservations. “People were calling, saying they couldn’t park and canceling,” he adds.
Possible solutions
In an interview with Le Journal, Marie Langlois and Bruno Salvail both emphasized that it is time for the city to sit down with the SDC to find solutions.
“Yes, efforts have been made and that is appreciated, but there are always points that need to be improved and there is no reason in Quebec that we, with our expertise, our equipment and our know-how, of an accumulation of 30 centimeters should be surprised,” mentions Mr. Salvail.
“At this point it’s just a matter of willpower. It may not be the absolute solution, but at least we tried it and maybe it will lead us to something different,” he concluded.
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