ADAM JACKSON/Ponoka News
Snow, snow go away.
That’s what many residents of Ponoka have been saying to the snow that just refuses to melt.
The snow and subsequent flooding has caused many problems and delays in the area, but some people are just battling through the late season.
The Town of Ponoka Public Works has been forced to close numerous trails due to floating bridges and submerged trails. Water has pushed some bridges off of supports and in some cases, caused them to float down the Battle River.
The areas that are affected have been barricaded and the public is urged to stay out of barricaded areas for their own safety.
The snow and flooding has also caused numerous delays and rescheduling for groups around Ponoka.
The Ponoka Minor Ball Association was forced to push its schedule back by a week, according to league rep Brian Czapp.
“This isn’t out of the ordinary to have this much snow when we start the season,” said Czapp. “We’ll just have to squeeze another game into the schedule.”
The snow and mud has also caused problems for the Ponoka Pride Earth Day project, according to co-ordinator Maurice Mazurat.
“To ensure that grounds are dry and clear, the clean-up is scheduled for the second week of May, May 8 to 14,” said Mazurat in a letter to community members.
Some organizations in the town are going to be battling through the snow and mud, though.
Linda Riguidel with Ponoka Slow Pitch says that the season will get underway in early May, no matter what is on the ground.
“People play half the time in snow and flood anyway,” said Riguidel. “We’re geared up.”
The weather for the next week is expected to be slightly below the seasonal average but still be consistently in the double digits, which could cause more flooding in the area.