Skip to content

Spallumcheen brushing program draws resident’s ire

Man says the township’s program is damaging roads
21384831_web1_200429-VMS-spall-brushing-BRUSHING_1
Spallumcheen resident Terry Paull is unhappy with the township’s brushing program, saying the machine is damaging not only brush but roads as well. (Photo submitted)

Some Spallumcheen residents hope the township’s new brushing program gets a touch-up.

One resident, Terry Paull, wrote a letter to council about witnessing the “devastation the machine doing the brushing leaves in its wake, not only to the trees and brush but to the roads.”

“In areas where the brushing machine has been shredding, it has left deep ruts on the shoulder of the road and caused cracks and broken pavement,” wrote Paull. “The bushing machine leaves a mess on the road, which is then cleaned up by a Spallumcheen dump truck with a blade which scrapes the debris off the road.”

The scraping, he said, also damages the road.

Paull acknowledged that the township has a long history of commitment to maintenance and repair of roads, but said the township’s taxpayers are now on the hook for the brushing program, and road repair for the damage caused by the brushing machine and snow blades.

Mayor Christine Fraser said township staff sent out to Paull’s area of Schubert Road did some cleanup. She said the road had “already been patched previously, and so was weaker in those areas.”

“We know the new brushing program is causing some residents headaches but we are doing our best to mitigate the concerns,” said Fraser. “We also have an option where our residents can opt out and do hand brushing themselves if they would like.”

READ MORE: Township of Spallumcheen departments available remotely



roger@vernonmorningstar.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.



Roger Knox

About the Author: Roger Knox

I am a journalist with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. I started my career in radio and have spent the last 21 years working with Black Press Media.
Read more