On the Role and Maintenance of Boulevards in Winnipeg

[Mininari]

What is the role of Boulevards in our neighbourhoods? Are they meant to be perfectly ornate strips of grass, or can they be canvases for citizen creativity?
Given recent news stories revolving around maintenance responsibilities, and now an order to remove a boulevard garden in Wolseley, when MANY of these exist, and provide some individuality to neighbourhoods, I thought a thread on the topic may be in order.

What are your thoughts? Show we mow em? Or should the city mow em? Or should we rip out the grass and make better use of this otherwise useless green space? I know my boulevard grass is suffering from years of winter salts and rock deposits. Should I pay to power rake it? Or just let it go?


Tomatoes turfed, gardener ordered to rip out flowers, veggies
City denies saying boulevard garden must go
CBC News
Posted: Jun 11, 2013 7:44 AM CT
Last Updated: Jun 11, 2013 1:32 PM CT

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manito...boulevard.html

...
has been growing beets, peppers and other plants for the past few years on a small patch of the boulevard in front of her Wolseley home.

But someone complained, and city officials dropped by with some information.

"That 'it's city property' and I'm not supposed to have anything on it," she said.

She also said the city employee told her all the flowers on her own lawn had to go as well.

Now all that's left of her vegetable garden is mud.

She said the city told her to grow grass instead.
...

[drew]

I maintain the boulevard in front of my house in Wolseley. I take my "area" as being the 2 tree to tree spaces centered on our house. If that makes any sense.

Rake, cut the grass, fertilize and seed it if necessary.

I also shovel my sidewalk, and half of my elderly neighbours to one side.

I don't think it is too much to ask for homeowners do at least cut the grass. I think everyone should have to shovel their sidewalk too.

I also think you should be able to plant something other than grass in the boulevard (within reason) as well. On of the nicest streets in Wolseley is Ethelbert south of Westminster. Just about every house has a garden in the boulevard area. Looks really good.

[steveosnyder]

Originally Posted by Mininari

What is the role of Boulevards in our neighbourhoods? Are they meant to be perfectly ornate strips of grass, or can they be canvases for citizen creativity?
Given recent news stories revolving around maintenance responsibilities, and now an order to remove a boulevard garden in Wolseley, when MANY of these exist, and provide some individuality to neighbourhoods, I thought a thread on the topic may be in order.

What are your thoughts? Show we mow em? Or should the city mow em? Or should we rip out the grass and make better use of this otherwise useless green space? I know my boulevard grass is suffering from years of winter salts and rock deposits. Should I pay to power rake it? Or just let it go?

If we allow these crazy boulevard gardens then we'll interfere with the streets clear zone! It's a slippery slope -- one person wants a garden, the next wants a hedge, the next a bush, then all of a sudden we have a green street that people actually like walking down! Oh the humanity! [/SARCASM]

In all seriousness, I think that a residential street should have a 30 km/h speed limit, design speed and shouldn't need a clear zone at all. The neighbourhood streets should be for the pedestrian, not the car.