Discussions

Why do we have weeds, tall uncut grass & garbage on our boulevards?

it's because our city is too busy dealing with drug addicts and decided homelessness, instead of sending them to winnipeg like they did to us with all their "bad apples". we are so mismanaged and have become the laughing stock of manitoba, even compared to places like portage and dauphin which were notorious for being bad.  
 
i'm not religious, but i genuinely pray for our future. i know my kids won't be raised here.

There has been a black garbage bag laying on 18th St. where you turn to go to Safeway or Walmart for over a month

Things have fallen into disrepair. Some boulevards are now the responsibility of homeowners. Driving around town they don't look after their own yards or homes so I am not sure the city can be so dumb to believe they will do the boulevards.  
I love the beautiful pots on the boulevards but honestly...that's about the nicest part of driving here. Visitors must have a terrible opinion of this place.  
I don't hate the city. We have our issues but I used to be so proud of the city and the reputation we had. It is falling and falling quickly. Makes me wonder if we will ever get big events again the way things look.

You can barely see that black bag of garbage now from all the weeds growing around it. The flower boxes are beautiful on 18th Street & all over Bdn, but all the weeds around them, take away their beauty. Come on Brandon! We can do better than this! Who's responsible for the disgrace of our city?

What is with all the bottles filled with what looks like water, at the 4 way stop at 26th and I think rosser?

Brandon use to be a beautiful city (even the city core). now its a mess!  
Come on Mr. Mayor and city council get it together and clean Brandon before its to late. Cut the grass. kill the weeds and fix our streets. the taxpayers deserve a respectable looking city, not a disgrace its becoming!!!  
How are we suppose to attract new residents (taxpayers) and business's. Lets get proud!!!!!

This summer seems especially bad with uncut grass and unsightly weeds and garbage on the boulevards and medians. It is particularly galling after such huge property tax increases.  
 
I wonder if the City is having the same issues with hiring summer help as the rest of the business community.

Leaving boulevards uncut along ones property is just laziness.  
 
Whether it's on a side street or along Victoria Ave...take the extra 10 minutes and trim it up. It reflects on your property as well as the city.  
 
Medians are a different story. We spend the tax dollars to have and maintain those beautiful flower baskets and then let the grass grow up around them. Having a little pride goes a long way...wink wink...

the city mowing the ditches along 18th street south in front of Little Chiefs and Mazers. The grass was very tall. I’m wondering if there is a more efficient way for the city to pick up all the long clippings instead of two people with pitch forks and a 1 ton truck for more than a week now. Maybe a rake and baler from Mazers would have been faster. I could be wrong though.

places being refered to are provincial, not city. It was the province that let the grass grow out of control. The city had to bail out the province till the province contracted out the grass cutting.

Are you suggesting the City ignore this segment of the population? The City has partnered with the province to build a low income housing project on 25th Street, and have just started construction on a recovery centre on 16th Street North. In addition, they have created a task force to help the unhoused (or decided homeless as you chose to call them) find affordable housing and addiction counselling. If our elected officials choose to turn a blind eye to these people the problem will only get worse.  
 
What you can do is reach out to your MLA, he just happens to be the former City of Brandon Chief of police. Because, I am sure you are aware, housing falls onto the Province (NOT THE CITY) in terms of funding and policy.  
 
And remember, not having a place to call home doesn't make you less human, and less deserving of compassion.  
 
Edited by PrimeConvoy, 2024-08-15 14:34:14

The City "could have" gone through the regulatory procurement process to call for tenders on equipment, allow the required amount of time for dealerships to tender their overinflated bids and then the city could choose the lowest bidder and then finish the job, or they could have just had their crew (at minimum wage) do it by hand, like they did in the old days.

I'm in Winnipeg this week. Sorry, but they are full up, and there's no room to "send them to Winnipeg". Everywhere there's homeless encampments - all along both big rivers, many of the green spaces, just everywhere. One of my brothers live in a nice area and they are literally there at the end of his street. It's unreal how much suffering and misery we can just see... and yet all some of us can/will do is complain about the unkept grass. ::shrugs::

Don’t forget, Simard is the MLA for Brandon East. Call him with your concerns on boulevard maintenance as it’s the NDP that did not get it done like me they were supposed to. Forgot to tender it and blamed the city who has enough work to do. If it’s city property call bylaw and they can deal with it.

Welcome to “Weed City”

If this the the major issue facing us today, I will take it!

Wayne Balcaen is the MLA for Brandon West, a member of the conservative party.

Everyone is quick to blame the province for the lack of upkeep on these boulevards etc (Victoria 18th 1st) but it is the city who puts the large baskets there. Seems it is time for one or the other to take over permanently and just keep looking after it all for consistancy.

Build it and they will come...from all over the province to make Brandon their new home. Then the problems really get worse.

voiceofthepeople, are you saying there is no place in Brandon's community for financially challenged people? Have you a better place in mind?  
 
This is really getting off topic. Our city could look a lot better if those of us that are able spent an hour or two every once in awhile and cleaned up things in our own area, regardless of who might be responsible. By that I mean cutting a little extra grass / weeds. and picking up litter.

Thinking the next provincial delegation could go to Minot versus Houston and study the roads. Was in Minot over the weekend for a couple of days. Same climate....perfect roads, not a pothole to be found.