'Like a washboard': Winnipegger left frustrated over muddy and flooded back lane

The back lane is between Dunrobin Avenue and Oakview Avenue. (Source: Jamie Dowsett/CTV News)

One Winnipeg woman is frustrated over the flooded, muddy and rut-filled back lane by her East Kildonan home.

Christine Ranick said the flooding of her back lane, which is between Dunrobin Avenue and Oakview Avenue, is a continuous problem during the spring and fall.

She said she’s been living in her house for 51 years and the back lane is in the worst shape she has ever seen it.

“I have to use it to get to my garage in the back. I’m a senior and I prefer to put my car away,” she said in an interview on Wednesday.

“There’s one section when you turn off the next street, which is Oakview --it’s ruts. It’s flooded every time it rains. It’s a lake. When you drive through and it’s a lake, you can’t see where the ruts are.”

She said the back lane is narrow, making it impossible to avoid the ruts, adding that “it’s like a washboard.”

Ranick said it’s going to be a tough winter if the flooded area freezes over or gets covered in snow.

“I complain every year. In my recollection, it never gets graded. Maybe once every five years. I don’t think they’ve ever put gravel down,” she said.

Ranick contacted the city about the issue a few times, but it still hasn’t been fixed. She said following her latest complaint, she was told that crews would come check it out on Nov. 14.

Ranick told the city this is too late, as the back lane could be frozen or snowy by the middle of November, which would make it dangerous for the winter.

“If I get stuck in the middle of that in the winter, who’s going to pay for that? I don’t need that kind of stress” she said.

In a statement, the City of Winnipeg said its crews are working on lanes in the area and will be at Ranick’s back lane early next week. City crews are expected to grade the back lane and add gravel if needed.

As for whether it freezes over, the city said lanes can still be graded if they are slightly frozen; however, the city intends to complete this back lane work before it freezes over.

Ranick also brought the issue to Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan).

She told the city councillor’s office about the problems with the lane, as well as the fact that she’s procured enough signatures through a petition to have the lane asphalted, but hasn’t heard back from the city.

She said all she heard back from Browaty’s office was that the asphalting request won’t be dealt with until after the next budget.

“I would like to see [the city] come out. I’d like to see them grade the lane and put some asphalt down, at least gravel so that it’s passable,” Ranick said.

Earlier in the week, Browaty told CTV News Winnipeg that he is aware some back lanes are in bad condition, and the problem can be partially attributed to this year’s wet weather.

"There were some equipment issues earlier on in the season. My understanding is those have been rectified, but they are now sort of triaging the absolute worst lanes," he said.

Browaty also recommended that residents go through the local improvement program to get the lane paved with drainage.

- With files from CTV’s Charles Lefebvre and Mason DePatie.