To mow, or not to mow ó that is the question.
Town of Sundre officials were recently presented with a dilemma of whether to use manicured or natural grass to complete the Sixth Avenue Linear Landscape Project, situated immediately north of the Mountain View Seniors' Housing facility.
"It was discovered that LA West (the municipality's landscape architect) planned for the grass areas to be of urban seed mix for cost effectiveness, ease of maintenance and overall aesthetic value," said Denica Crosbie, municipal planner, during a special council meeting held Aug. 9.
Administrative staff became concerned regarding "how adjacent residents would react if the grass was not cut and maintained," she said, adding those people were mailed an invitation to attend an information session on Aug. 10.
The project is otherwise coming along very well, and the contractor expected to be done by Aug. 18, she said, asking for council's feedback regarding whether the grass should be manicured or more of a natural-like setting.
Mayor Terry Leslie said that he would expect cut grass if he were living next to the development, but added, "my opinion is irrelevant. I really want to hear from them (residents)."
But Coun. Cheri Funke said she was fully aware the plan called for natural grass, and she pointed out that the municipality's manicured grass in some areas commonly dries up and dies after being cut.
"We don't have the money to have irrigation. You can plant this natural grass, and it'll stay green, even when it's dying. It's fantastic. It gives the illusion that it is healthy and vibrant and growing when it's actually not, instead of sodding it and having staff have to come and mow more grass, just for it to die," she said, expressing a preference for a natural grass setting over a golf course setting.
Coun. Nolan Blatchford inquired whether a specific type of seed would be used for natural grass that only reaches a certain height, or if there would basically be an out-of-control wild wheat field, to which Crosbie answered the selected strains would indeed only reach specific heights.
Attending the Aug. 10 public session were about half a dozen residents, including Pat and Gerald Moore, who have lived along Sixth Avenue for about nine years.
"Most of us wanted manicured, it just looks better," said Pat.
Gerald agreed.
"Only because it would be compatible with what the Mountain View Seniors' Housing has already done," he said. "The wild grass look is OK if you're attached to a field or anything that doesn't have a development behind it. But right now you've got developed homes, a developed building with manicured type lawns, (so) why would you put a strip of wild grass in between?"
However, Nancy Stevenson, who told the Round Up she does not want a fire hazard or the cost of frequent maintenance, said a balanced, middle ground approach might be most suitable.
"It doesn't need to be a golf course, but it shouldn't be a fire hazard."
