Image

The first snow hits Petrolia and Central Lambton

November 12, 2013

The OPP and snow plow drivers were kept busy as the first snowfall blanketed Petrolia and Central Lambton Tuesday.

A few centimeters fell in Petrolia and Wyoming but areas such as Watford and Alvinston had as much as 15 centimeters by early morning.

OPP officers responded to a number of collisions and vehicles in the ditch as the snow, which in some areas was mixed with ice pellets, began falling heavily around the time of the morning commute.

At press time, there were no injuries due to the accidents.

Police said all of the collisions were preventable if drivers had adjusted their habits to the conditions. Police ask drivers to slow, leave lots of space between you and other cars.

Road crews in Lambton County and in surrounding communities were out on the roads as the snow hit. Jim Kutyba, general manager of infrastructure at Lambton County, says the snowplows and sanders have been ready and on standby since Nov. 1 but says they were a little slower than they usually are in the heart of the winter.

“The issue Tuesday morning was because were not on our two shifts (of road crews) until Dec. 1, our patrol guys were out knowing the snow is coming, but then they had to call guys in,” he says.

By the time everyone is in and the trucks are ready to run Kutyba says it is getting to be five or six in the morning. “It takes two hours to get through the route, so then it goes into morning commute and people have to be a bit more careful.”

In towns, such as Petrolia, the roads had seen a sander by 8 am, according to Joe Adams, director of operations. “After 8 o’clock everyone was making a second round,” he says.

The snow may have caused some traffic problems, but in Lambton County it is causing a few budget problems as well. Kutyba says $1.7 million was budgeted for winter snow removal in 2013 and that money has already been spent.

Kutyba says this early snowfall will increase the snow management budget deficit to about $185,000.

But the snow headaches aren’t expected to last long; by the weekend Environment Canada is expecting the temperatures to stretch into the teens.

 

Share This

Image
Front Page

Over 50 ed assistants cut for First Nations students

July 3, 2025

Blake Ellis/The Independent Lambton-Kent District School Board passed a $383 million balanced budget for the 2025-26 school year but local Indigenous leaders are concerned.  While Trustee Roberta Northmore called it a wonderful budget during the June 24 meeting, she did not support it saying there was no consultation with the four First Nations within the Lambton-Kent boundaries.  Northmore called the

Read More

Image
Front Page

Ham radio fans say hello to the Netherlands without leaving Enniskillen

July 3, 2025

Blake Ellis/The Independent Ham radio enthusiasts tuned into locations throughout North America and the world, connecting with Texas, Argentina, the Caribbean and the Netherlands all from Enniskillen Township. The Lambton County Radio Club held its annual field day on Saturday and Sunday, for a 24 hour period at Krall Park in Enniskillen Township.  Field day demonstrates ham radio’s ability to

Read More

Image
Front Page

Petrolia splash pad almost ready

July 3, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Petrolia’s long-awaited splash pad should be up and running by the end of July.  That from Town of Petrolia officials who acknowledged they’d hoped it would be open July 1. In 2019, a community survey called for a splash pad. The 2020 Parks and Recreation Master Plan also picked up on the desire for the water feature.

Read More

Image
Front Page

Two drowned in the waters off Ipperwash on the Canada Day weekend

July 2, 2025

The Independent It was a deadly long weekend on Lake Huron in Lambton Shores. Monday, an 18 year-old London resident died and a 12 year-old had to be rescued from the waters at Ipperwash Beach. Today, Lambton OPP report another person – a 44 year-old from Lambton Shores – has also died while swimming. Police, paramedics and Lambton Shores firefighters

Read More