Leamington ice storm cleanup continues this week

The Municipality of Leamington is asking for patience from the community as crews continue to clean up branches and trees that have fallen as a result of the February 22 ice storm.

According to the municipality, Leamington residents can place small branches roadside for collection. Please do not block roads, sidewalks, or driveways. Residents are asked not to bundle or place branches in a yard waste bag or container, as municipal staff will be using a chipper to shred branches. Please note that municipal crews will not enter private property to clean up trees or branches. The cleanup process will take several days to weeks to complete due to the substantial number of branches down across the municipality. While the municipality is contracting the services of companies to assist, they are also busy providing tree removal services to their private clients and are assisting as they can. The crews plan to be through the entire com- munity at least one time by the end of this week. There will be a second and final collection for all neighbourhoods and the municipality will communicate the deadline so residents will know the last day to place branches curbside.

Cleanup of parks and trails will begin once boulevards are cleared.

If you see a branch on an electrical wire, do not touch it and report it immediately to your electricity provider.

Municipality of Leamington Board of Works crews were busy cleaning up branches on Askew Street on Monday, March 6, some 12 days after the ice storm that hit the area on February 22-23. Wood chippers were still going strong throughout the Sun Parlour as crews make their way along local streets. Work is expected to take at least the rest of this week.