Call to tackle Kenilworth’s weeds and potholes

A Kenilworth pensioner is fed up with what she describes as the City’s lack of maintenance in the area.

Colleen Lowry, 68, says she has logged many complaints with the City over the past year about weeds, potholes, litter-choked canals and poorly maintained parks.

The City is failing to provide the service that residents pay for through their rates, she says.

“The previous ward councillor logged it on the City app when l was with her in August last year, but nothing was done,” she said.

“The weeds are high again, and as l paid rates for 17 years and others are still paying rates for this service, l find it unacceptable that no spraying has been done in our street for over six years.”

Mayoral committee member for community service and health Patricia van der Ross said the recreation and parks department was only responsible for mowing parks and open spaces.

“Parks and public open spaces are mowed seven times annually, and road reserves have four cuts annually,” she said.

Ms Van der Ross said mowing teams would work extended hours, where possible, including weekends, to tackle priority areas.

“This year, higher-than-usual rainfall and early growth patterns have contributed to a faster spring growth period. The combination of abundant moisture and rising daytime temperatures has led to rapid overgrowth in public open spaces and road reserves. Our teams are working diligently to get to all the public open spaces that require mowing, while adhering to the no-mow schedule for specifically identified areas until the end of November,” she said.

Mayoral committee member for urban mobility Rob Quintas said Kenilworth was due to have weed spraying done in the coming month.

“It is difficult to give an exact date due to weather conditions,” he said

Ms Lowry said some of the area’s pavements were in poor shape and pothole-riddled roads should be resurfaced instead of patched up.

“From Southway Bridge and right around number 2 Saddlers Way has badly deteriorated pavements. The entire section of road around that corner also needs to be resurfaced as it has badly deteriorated, and potholes have been filled there many times. There are also potholes in the pavement outside Punters Way that need to be fixed before someone is injured,” she said.

Mr Quintas said the roads in the area were on the department’s resurfacing schedule for the next two years.