Flooded back lane causing a headache for St. James resident

CTV’s Daniel Halmarson has more on residents dealing with flooded back lanes.

Some Winnipeg back lanes have gone from rutted to flooded over the past few days as warmer temperatures kick off the annual freeze-thaw cycle.

“I get that it’s springtime. There’s a melt, there’s water – but this ain’t flowing,” St. James resident Doug Ennis told CTV News Monday.

He said the back lane behind his Collegiate Street home has flooded every spring for the past five or six years despite some efforts by the city to fix the problem in 2024.

“They replaced the catch basin and said we will never have a problem again.”

However, Ennis said the issue is just as bad as it’s ever been and the pooling water has become more than just a nuisance for him and his neighbours.

“My driveway is washing away,” Ennis said, pointing to a gravel pad. “[The water] comes up and goes down… People drive down the back alley here and they’re splashing the water up here.”

He added a neighbour has water creeping into her garage and is worried about potential damage.

Ennis filed a request with 311 and said a city crew tried to clear the drain last week. However, the great lake hasn’t gone anywhere, and Ennis has filed a second request.

“It just seems like a vicious circle with the city,” Ennis said. “You talk to 311, they tell you one thing. You talk to someone else, they tell you another [thing] and it doesn’t get resolved. It’s like you’re being brushed off.”

According to the city’s website, the spring melt can cause water to pool due to catch basins blocked by ice. In these instances, crews will use a steaming machine to thaw the ice and allow for proper drainage.

CTV News Winnipeg reached out to the City of Winnipeg about Ennis’ concerns but hasn’t received a response.