Weekly newsletter: September 12, 2023

If the weather is any indication, summer has wound down despite its last hurrah earlier this month (of course, by saying that, I’ve now set us up for a wicked early-autumn heat wave).

Shruby curbs – an update

I was surprised to find out we don’t actually have a formalised program to maintain the vegetation growing through the curbs.

Current practice sees vegetation growing through curbs trimmed only when an adjacent area of grass, such as a boulevard or parkland, is maintained. Otherwise, they are responded to on a complaint basis.

In fairness, this was a very wet year and growing conditions for those plants were ideal. However, that fairness doesn’t extend to the fact we don’t regularly maintain them.

These suggestions have been shared with city staff along with a request for a cost estimate if a formal curb vegetation maintenance program were to be created.

Daventry/St. Luke/Mulligan Park pathway

Area residents may be familiar with the pathway between Daventry Crescent and St. Luke Catholic School.

Currently, the portion of the pathway closest to Daventry is paved, while the rest is gravel, which presents a messy situation when residents try to use it after rainfall.

What’s interesting is that half the unpaved portion belongs to the City while half belongs to the school. This has been the case since before amalgamation, and finding records behind the arrangement has been challenging.

This is why when the grass is cut, it just stops randomly.

In the interest of improving the pathway, city staff and the school board have begun discussions to “streamline” the pathway’s ownership and responsibility. Solutions include acquiring the land or obtaining a maintenance easement over it.

Furthermore, I am hoping to also connect that pathway to Mulligan Park, as school property is off limits during school hours, and residents are cut off from the park during the day without a lengthy detour.

Hopefully, I will have more to share about these items and ones shared in previous editions of the newsletter soon. Keep watch for public consultation opportunities for the 2024 budget, expected in the next two months!

Take care.

-Wilson