New salt resistant grass being tested in city's West End

Winnipeggers may not want to think about winter right now, but the West End BIZ is working to have grass that is better prepared to deal with the remedies for winter roads.

Joe Kornelsen, the executive director of West End BIZ, said the organization is currently testing a new kind of grass that isn't impacted by salt that is used to help icy roads.

So far, the grass is being tested along Wall Street.

"We've found that over the years, grass has really struggled on our major thoroughfares," said Kornelsen. "We thought we would jump on the opportunity, see if we could try something that would work a little better than the grasses that have been here."

He said this new grass is supposed to be more drought resistant and handle salt from the roads better, as well.

"The idea is it is a grass that is more suited to the local environment, so it can put up with more hardship," he said. "Every winter, when we are making our streets a little better to drive on, one of those solutions is salt. When that comes, gets cleared and put up on the side of the road, it all ends up in the soil and it's really hard on some grasses."

Kornelsen said the kind of grass being used is a little bit more expensive and that is why it is being tested on a small stretch of road, but added it doesn't require as much maintenance as other types.

"It shouldn't need to be mowed as often. So in the longer-term, we expect there would be some savings resulting from not needing to be out, mowing the lawn as much."

He said if the project is successful, the organization will look at advocating to have it in the entire city.