More than a week after the city was blanketed in heavy snow, at least two major business areas say they’re happy to have been dug out.
Two winter storms, including one over the Family Day long weekend, dropped close to 70 centimetres of snow on Ottawa streets, setting an army of snowplows and shovellers in motion to clear space for cars and pedestrians. Snowbanks piled up along roadways and sidewalks, making it difficult to park on streets and navigate by foot, even in the downtown area.
For the city, clearing the snow is no small task. Since last Monday, local crews have removed 90,000 cubic metres of snow, the city said in a post on X last Friday, adding that’s “enough snow to fit into the Aberdeen Pavilion, and then some.” The post also said the cleanup was expected to “take weeks.”
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But in business areas like the ByWard Market and Bank Street, the worst appears to be over.
“I must say, it was pretty challenging,” said David Mangano, owner of The Grand Pizzeria on George Street in the Market. “When the plows do come through, they pile it up pretty high on the street. We were having a problem with our garbage removal as well.”
It’s been a busy season in the ByWard Market, with the Rideau Canal Skateway bringing more foot traffic and tourists into Mangano’s restaurant. That activity subsided when sidewalks weren’t accessible, he said, but has picked up quickly since.
The Market is often not the easiest place for trucks, with its narrow streets and lack of loading zones.
Mangano, who has several new suppliers as he switches some products from U.S. to Canadian sources in response to tariff threats, said the people making deliveries weren’t too deterred by the challenge.
“The delivery guys are pretty good,” he said. “They park where they can and they work their way around snowbanks and make it to our delivery door on George Street. The weather hasn’t prevented us from getting our deliveries. So we’ve been pretty lucky in that way.”
In addition, Mangano said the city crews on the ground in the Market were happy to help.
“My chef ran into one of the plow guys and it was good timing,” said Mangano. “He asked him to leave a 10 foot by 10 foot opening on the sidewalk and they plowed it for us, which gave us some space to put our garbage and at the same time it opened up a little delivery route for our suppliers. That simple gesture from the city really helped.”
Despite the challenges brought on by the snowfall, Mangano said the white stuff brought a little extra magic to the Market.
“I must say, when it does snow down here – you know, aside from the big blizzards – it really makes it pretty when the fresh snow falls,” said Mangano. “It adds a little bit to the aesthetic of the ByWard Market, that’s for sure.”
A few doors down, La Bottega Nicastro has also been dug out of the worst of the snow.
“They did a good job,” owner Pat Nicastro told OBJ Monday. “All the piles were removed yesterday and I feel that it’s impressive. I’ve always been pleasantly surprised how fast they can get rid of snowpiles in the Market. In the city where I live, it’s a little different story. But in the market, they really do their best.”
Even when there’s no snow on the ground, it’s tricky getting supplies into the George Street grocery store. Nicastro previously told OBJ that suppliers have to park on the street and bring deliveries through the front of the store.
But concerns raised by business owners like Nicastro and Mangano about tickets given to delivery drivers have led the city to start working on a designated loading zone in the area.
“They’re reviewing all the (parking) spaces because we’ve lost some spaces over the years and they’re going to convert some spots to loading zones and 15-minute parking for customers, which we’re very happy about and have been fighting for,” said Nicastro.
While those changes will help year-round, Nicastro said it’s especially important when the snow piles up.
“It’s really for our suppliers and our customers, because it’s truly become difficult and the snowbanks made it even worse,” he said. “Parking and transport, we’re always talking about it. It’s an important part of small business and we’re in Canada with the winters. They’re an important part of keeping the winter economy going. If there’s no parking spots, nobody stops. They don’t come out.”
In the downtown area, businesses along Bank Street have seen some relief, according to Darrell Cox, executive director of the Glebe BIA.
“The city did a really good job getting the sidewalks from the storefront to the edge of the road done,” he told OBJ. “It certainly was a challenge (with parking). We have two city lots and Lansdowne as well, but it was more challenging for people wanting to come into the Glebe and park on the side streets. But I think the city did a good job making sure Bank Street was clear and parking was available on the roads. I don’t think it deterred people during the week, to be honest.”
Now that the snowpiles have been removed, Cox said he expects traffic to pick back up to usual levels.
He added that it’s been a particularly busy winter. Even without the snow, it can be hard to find parking as Ottawa residents flock to the skateway and tourists venture into the area in search of shopping and food.
“It takes a lot to deter people in Ottawa,” he said. “We’re so used to being so resilient. In the past when I’ve hosted conferences in the city, we’d always worry about doing it in February. But for the most part, people come. It takes a lot. If people really need to go out, a little bit of snow or, this time, a snowstorm, is not going to keep them away.”
