The City of Helsinki has a total of eight locations for receiving snow that has been swept from the streets of the capital.
Nevertheless, there are huge piles of snow lying on street corners all over Helsinki, after their having been ploughed from streets and pavements. Why are we having to walk around giant snowdrifts?
On WednesdayHelsingin Sanomat put the question to Ville Alatyppö, Project Manager at the city's Public Works Department. "This winter has been exceptionally snowy, as anyone can witness. The snow has been left in piles and has been ploughed for instance into spaces between trees, because there is simply so much of it. We are at the upper limits of our capacity. The number of reception points for snow has not increased at the same pace as the street-area of the city."
Does this mean that these reception points are full? "Well, for instance the one in Herttoniemi cannot take any more and has had to be closed."
But why have piles of snow been left on parking spaces? "We have left some parking spaces under snow because there is simply no way it can be got out of the city centre and put somewhere else."
So, does this mean we are going to see these piles of snow sitting in the street waiting for the spring and for the weather to warm up? "Yes, in the worst-case scenario it does, because there is quite simply nowhere for it to go."
