Staff say crews used heavy equipment and shovels to break ice and clear trails and sidewalks

An unidentified staff member said crews have been using a range of tools and heavy equipment to break and remove persistent ice caused by an extended freeze. "We've been using a little bit of everything," the staff member said, adding that teams moved from plastic shovels to garden shovels and deployed forestry equipment typically used for removing large trees.

The staff member described specific hazards crews faced, including large boulders that fell from embankments onto trails and sidewalks and required heavier machinery to remove because they were unsafe for staff to push. "We're getting out there and we're smashing the ice," the staff member said, noting the shift in tactics was necessary because the cold prevented refreezing that would have eased removal.

Officials also described continuity of services during the event: staff helped maintain access to congregate meal programs and day-care facilities while clearing routes. "It's really been a department wide effort, and, we can't thank our staff enough," the staff member said.

The briefing provided no timeline for when all ice will be cleared. The staff member said crews continue to work with the equipment available to make sidewalks, trails and public facilities safer and more accessible but did not give detailed schedules or resource tallies.