Slip or swim: Chomedey man fed up with Laval's inaction on flooded street
'If I want to go for a walk, I literally have to climb a mountain or go for a swim,' says Panagiotis Arvanitis
When the temperature rises above zero, the road in front of Panagiotis Arvanitis's home turns into a giant, knee-deep moat.
"If somebody had a little canoe, they'd probably be able to paddle," the Laval resident told CBC News.
Then, when the weather turns cold, the pond turns into a skating rink which Arvanitis says is equally difficult to cross.
Arvanitis has complained to the city repeatedly about what he suspects is a drainage issue outside his Chomedey home on Emilie-Gadbois Street.
"This is a reocurring issue. We've notified the city and sent them pictures," he said.
"We're taxpayers here. We pay them on time. If you see I'm calling multiple times, it's urgent. It's disrupting our lives daily," said Arvanitis.
Watch the video below to see the slushy mess:
City workers finally came by to break up the ice on Tuesday, but Arvanitis said they left jagged chunks strewn all over the road.
The city of Laval says fluctuating temperatures this winter have caused water to accumulate in many areas and that workers have been trying to unblock drains as quickly as they can.
Arvanitis first noticed the problem in the summertime when water began pooling on the street after heavy rains.
He believes it's caused by poor drainage or an improper slope on the street, and he wants a city engineer to come investigate.
A spokesperson for the city said there's no known history of drainage issues on the street, which was built in 2009.
The city said it will send a crew to take a closer look at the sewers, but can only do it once the snow has melted.
Meanwhile, Arvanitis and his family have to adjust to the difficult conditions outside their home.
Arvanitis said people are having difficulty driving through and risk damaging their cars. One neighbour claims to have incurred $2,000 in damage.
"If I want to go for a walk, I literally have to climb a mountain or go for a swim," he said.
