The City of Williams Lake finally has a new snowblower, replacing one decades old.
The new blower will be used at the Williams Lake Airport, improving snow clearing, which the City has had a tougher time with.
Director of Municipal Services, Rob Warnock says this was the back-up machine to a previous one ordered two years ago.
“When we awarded the tender, we got a blower from Italy, and when we got it here and did a bunch of test runs and the kind of snow we get, we were having some issues with it.”
“We mutually agreed at that time with the company after about a year that they would come get the machine, and we would have to re-tender.”
Warnock says the new blower is made in Quebec, and is the same manufacturer (Larue) that’s used for the one for residents in the downtown area.
The old one is roughly 40 years old, and says is just a farm tractor with a blower attached, while the new one is an actual snowblower used at any airport in North America.
The new machine being used this year is unlikely, but Warnock says they’re excited to use it come next winter.
Once the new one is fully operational, the City will sell the old one.