Skip to main content

'Something has to be done with this back lane': Residents upset with giant potholes in St. Vital area

Share
WINNIPEG -

People living on a street in St. Vital are speaking out about the condition of their back lane. They say nearly foot deep potholes are damaging cars and are a safety risk.

Elsie Cesmistruk has lived on Havelock Avenue for eight years. While she enjoys her street, lately she's been having issues with her gravel back lane.

The stretch behind Cesmistruk's home has several large potholes.

"I came home and my car bottomed out with my vehicle. I just bought this vehicle; you think I want to damage it? Is the city going to pay for it?" said Cesmistruk.

Lynn Leonhardt, another long-time resident on Havelock Avenue, said the back lane is the worst it's ever been.

"I've lived here 62 years and this is disgusting what we are going through right now in this last three or four years," she said. "It goes down year after year."

Residents said with the snow route in effect, they are not allowed to park on the main street, forcing them to drive down the back lane.

Cesmistruk said she has called 311 and multiple city officials with no response.

"I phoned everybody, but we aren't getting anything done here. Something has to be done with this back lane."

In a statement to CTV News, the City of Winnipeg said, "Crews are expected to address the potholes in the unpaved back lane in the coming days and will be filling them in with limestone."

While the fix is welcomed by Havelock Avenue residents, Cesmistruk hopes something more permanent gets done when the snow clears.

"We need it paved in the summer. I recognize you can't do that now, but we need something done now. How are we going to drive through this?"  

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Stay Connected