Yellowknife, N.W.T. - The heavy part of Yellowknife's snow removal season has begun.

Crews are going at a much quicker pace in the new year and are concentrating on more residential areas, such as School Draw Avenue and Finlayson Drive.

The city's director of public works, Dennis Kefalas, said they're moving to the residential areas now that the major routes are done.

"We're trying to stay with the main streets, the main corridors, and we usually start before Christmas with some of those and they usually end up getting done two or three times a year, sometimes four."

With the temperatures yo-yoing up and down this winter, Kefalas said now is the optimal time to get out and take care of the heavy work.

"The best temperature for us is about -20, that way it allows the snow to pack, we mix in the gravel so you can drive on it safely until we get a chance to remove it."

He added the city tries to keep the same route every year in order to have a routine.

A majority of the work is scheduled to be done by April, but Kefalas said there is always the threat of a late snowfall.

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