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windrow
DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)
n. — Transportation, Outdoors
a ridge of snow that is heaped along the side of a road by a snowplough.
Type: 5. Frequency — This analogy comes from the farming practice of creating rows in fields, which is the more general definition of the term (see the 1860 quotation for the older meaning, which is not Canadian). The Canadian meaning refers to the non-agricultural context of snow clearing (see Chart 1). This semantic transfer and specialization seems to have been established around the early to mid-20th century (see the 1950 quotation), when machines were increasingly used for the clearing of snow from city streets and country roads.
See also COD-2, s.v. "windrow (3)", which labels the meaning "Cdn".
See also COD-2, s.v. "windrow (3)", which labels the meaning "Cdn".
The original term is inspired by the agricultural practice of having peat or sod "dried by exposure to the wind" (OED-3, s.v. "windrow" (a.)), documented as early as 1523-34 in England (as "wynd-rowe").
Quotations
1860
[The next operation is to cut down all the small trees and brush - this is called under-brushing. The rule is to cut everything close to the ground from the diameter of six inches downwards.
There are two modes of piling, either in heaps or in windrows. If your fallow is full of evergreens, such as hemlock, pine, balsam, cedar, and such description of timber, then I should say windrows are the best; but when the timber is deciduous, heaps are better.]
1950
"Certainly we'll try it out but I'm convinced it is not practical," Mr. Bradely said. "In the first place a great many of Toronto's residential streets are only 28 feet wide. If we plow a windrow up the centre there will be no possible chance of vehicles passing.
If you got behind a bread or milk wagon stopping at every house you can see the tie-up that would result. If cars tried to climb over the snowbank they would be very likely to stall there and the street would be blocked off for traffic in both directions," he said.
1982
"The windrows (banks of hard-packed snow) left at the entrances to driveways by snowploughs are particularly frightening because they're so hard to shovel. Also, elderly people have trouble climbing over them."
1987
The first man to answer a call at Ottawa city hall complaints bureau recently said there was nothing that could be done. The problem was a snowplow had left an unusually high windrow across the drive of Joy and John Newton of Broadmore Avenue. Then a quick cold snap turned the pile iron-hard and even a hired truck with a plow was unable to reopen the drive...[sic!]
1994
A snowplow working its way along Flanders Street in Barrhaven after Thursday's heavy snowfall left an awesome windrow in its wake. The snowbank was a metre high and when the plow encountered a car on the street, it snowed the car in.
2007
"Our population is aging. When we come along and put a windrow up after they've just finished shovelling, it's discouraging."
2013
Like many city politicians, one of her biggest concerns is roads.
"Is there anybody who hasn't spent a good portion of their life bitching about potholes and snow removal?" Rice asks.
This focus includes ensuring graders take windrows away from driveways after clearing the street, a policy she pushed to introduce about 20 years ago.
"Each council I'm on knows I will go ballistic if we plow the roads and we don't do the driveway scoop-out . There's no point in plowing my road if there's 14 tons of snow at the end of my driveway."
2015
Driveway Windrow Snow Clearing Program
The Driveway Windrow Snow Clearing Program is a City-wide program to clear snow windrows at the end of the driveway. The program is offered to seniors (65 years or older) and individuals who are physically disabled as verified by a regulated health professional. The cost of the program is $200 or free depending on whether the applicant meets financial assistance criteria.
Applications will be received at Community Centres, Mississauga Seniors' Centre or the Recreation Customer Service Centre from Monday, August 10, 2015 until 9 p.m. on Friday, November 13, 2015. The completed and signed form with supporting documentation must be submitted in person.
The program will be in effect from November 30, 2015 to March 11, 2016.
Driveway Windrow Snow Clearing Program
The Driveway Windrow Snow Clearing Program is a City-wide program to clear snow windrows at the end of the driveway. The program is offered to seniors (65 years or older) and individuals who are physically disabled as verified by a regulated health professional. The cost of the program is $200 or free depending on whether the applicant meets financial assistance criteria.
Applications will be received at Community Centres, Mississauga Seniors' Centre or the Recreation Customer Service Centre from Monday, August 10, 2015 until 9 p.m. on Friday, November 13, 2015. The completed and signed form with supporting documentation must be submitted in person.
The program will be in effect from November 30, 2015 to March 11, 2016.
References
- COD-2
- OED-3
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