By: Brian Henry

On March 1, the City’s herbicide-free park maintenance contractor, Ecological Concerns, Inc., started work at the Civic Center campus. Based on the success of the one-year pilot to maintain four City parks without the use of herbicides and the competitive request for proposals, City Council authorized funding for the expansion of the herbicide-free park program to include all City parks and facility grounds. The contractor is tasked with removing all weeds by hand and maintaining a weed-free landscape without the use of herbicides. The majority of weeds have been removed from the Civic Center campus and this week, locally sourced and recycled woodchips will be applied to reduce weed germination and retain soil moisture.  

Once the Civic Center campus is complete, the contractor will repeat this process at the City’s other parks and facilities, starting with Sharon Park, Jack W. Lyle Park and Hamilton Park. To maintain a safe playing surface on the City’s sports fields, herbicides will be used when the sports fields are closed for renovation and monitored year-round. Other components of the City’s herbicide-free park program include the use of goats to graze weeds at Sharon Hills Park and tractors to mow weeds at Bedwell Bayfront Park. 

For more information, please contact the Public Works Maintenance Division at 330-6780.