Winnipegger protests mowing nearby boulevard

A Winnipeg man has declared his boulevard a 'botanical garden' in protest of the city's grass maintenance. Harrison Shin explains.

A Winnipeg man is protesting mowing his nearby boulevard by calling it a botanical garden because he says the city has not maintained the boulevard properly.

Alex Haims has lived in Bridgwater since 2008 and has recently nicknamed a stretch of the boulevard near his house the botanical garden due to the fact that he hasn’t mowed it in some time.

He says it’s the city’s fault.

“If I run my lawn mower, it will get stuck. It will not work,” said Haims.

Haims claims the ground has been packed down due to the weight of heavy machinery from nearby construction and he doesn’t have the necessary equipment to level the surface out.

Even if he did, he says it isn’t his responsibility.

“The city expects me to mow the lawn when it’s uneven ground.”

Haims says he has contacted his councillor, Janice Lukes, as well as 311 to deal with the issue, but so far nothing has been done to fix the area.

When it is repaired, he says he would be more than happy to mow it.

“I hope the gardens, the botanical garden, will not last long after this interview.”

Action was taken Monday evening as Haims was served with a notice of inspection. The inspection is scheduled for June 11.

According to the city’s bylaw, if a boulevard is under 20 feet wide, the homeowner is responsible for keeping it maintained. If it isn’t mowed, they can be fined up to $1,000.