Item - 2025.MM31.7

Councillor Shelley Carroll, seconded by Councillor Paula Fletcher, recommends that: 

1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to report through the 2026 Budget process on:

a. the financial and operational implications of adding an additional, earlier-season grass cutting in April to existing maintenance schedules; and

b. the feasibility of coordinating maintenance schedules across divisions so that grass cutting for adjacent boulevards, parks, libraries, and community centres is completed as part of the same scheduled service window.

Each spring, complaints about overgrown weeds, particularly dandelions, are increasing. In many parts of the city, grass maintenance in the right-of-way does not begin until late May. By that time, weeds have often gone to seed, contributing to their spread and making them more difficult to manage in future years. This has a noticeable impact on the public realm and continues to be a source of frustration for residents.

Additionally, grass maintenance and other groundskeeping services are currently scheduled and completed by different City divisions and crews. As a result, one area, such as a park, may be cut and maintained while the adjacent boulevard, library, or community centre remains overgrown. This patchwork approach creates an incomplete and inconsistent appearance in our communities and may reduce the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the City's maintenance efforts. A more coordinated, area-based approach may offer both operational improvements and a more positive experience for residents.