Time to prepare for spring

River Heights – Fort Garry

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/03/2025 (217 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As spring gets closer, we start to prepare for the season ahead by cleaning up our roads and communities while making plans to grow our tree canopy.

Here are some things to be aware of as the season progresses:

Potholes – We all know them. They’re an unfortunate part of spring in Winnipeg, especially in older neighbourhoods such as River Heights–Fort Garry. The City of Winnipeg continues to prioritize investments in our roads, which includes improving the way you can report potholes that need to be fixed.

To ensure crews can work on filling them as quickly as possible, it’s important to report the location of potholes by contacting 311 or using our easy online form available at winnipeg.ca/publicworks/streets

Community clean-up – The City of Winnipeg will begin its spring-cleaning process soon. Over the next six weeks, more than 300 pieces of heavy equipment will set out to clean our roads, bike paths and sidewalks and remove sand and debris that has accumulated over the winter months.

You can also volunteer to do your part by joining the Team Up to Clean Up initiative this year in partnership with Take Pride Winnipeg.

It’s easy to organize a litter clean-up with your coworkers, community group, neighbourhood association, school, or your friends and family. To learn more and sign up with your group, contact either Carrie Lund at carrie@takepride.mb.ca or my office to get started. You can also find more information at takepride.mb.ca/programs/cleanliness/team-up-to-clean-up

Growing our tree canopy – I’m proud to share that the City of Winnipeg is investing record amounts of funding to prune, remove and plant trees, especially in our ward. This work has never been more important as the age of the trees, invasive bugs and weather changes will continue to have a negative impact on our tree canopy in the years to come. You can help out in a number of ways, including by participating in a community planting event at a neighbourhood park, purchasing a memorial tree or volunteering through a number of other initiatives.

These include taking part in the Home Grown Volunteer program, which pairs volunteer groups with existing tree-planting sites, such as parks and natural areas. We co-oordinate the project and provide both the trees and oversight – you provide the manpower. Participants learn the basics of tree planting and will see their hard work take root. They also leave knowing they’ve helped support wildlife, create habitat, and promote biodiversity. To participate, contact 311 to be connected to the Home Grown group plantings co-ordinator.

You could also create your own planting project. If you have a group looking for financial support to plant trees on public land, learn how your group can get money through the city’s tree-planting grants. There’s also support for planting trees in other ways on our shared spaces. From planting a commemorative tree, to hiring a contractor, to planting one on your own, there are tips and guidelines available. Find all the details on eligibility criteria for these options and how to get started at winnipeg.ca/services-programs/trees-environment/trees/tree-planting

We all have a role to play in getting our neighbourhood ready for the warmer months – if you’re looking for more information on any of these spring preparations, please reach out to my office at 204-986-5236.

Happy (almost) spring!