City Parks reveals lawn mowing practices and challenges

Keeping Johannesburg’s parks and green spaces vibrant and accessible is no small task, especially in a densely populated city where green oases serve as vital recreational hubs, says Johannesburg City Parks spokesperson Jenny Moodley.

Read more: Johannesburg City Parks urges families to visit loved ones graves

Moodley sheds light on how often City Parks conducts mowing, and the various maintenance schedules for different areas, affirming their commitment to nurturing the city’s natural beauty.

According to Moodley, City Parks follow a comprehensive maintenance standard that dictates how frequently different public areas are mowed.

“We conduct 12 maintenance cycles annually for flagship parks, those that are heavily frequented and equipped with amenities to meet community needs. Developed and undeveloped parks are serviced at least four times a year, with a minimum of one maintenance cycle in each quarter,” she said.

Moodley said mowing practices extend beyond just parks; main arterial roadways, landscaped islands, and town entrances also receive attention, with 12 maintenance cycles scheduled for these areas as well.

However, the resources available dictate the extent of the service. “Yes, we are mindful that due to the high usage in densely populated areas, City Parks needs to do more, however, we are limited due to the availability of additional resources.

“During the dormant season, which typically runs from May to October, we suspend grass cutting, allowing the grass to recover. Once the peak growing season starts in November, our team ramps up mowing efforts to ensure that the parks look their best,” Moodley said.

Also read: City Parks, the initiators of Mandela Day, honour late president at The Wilds

Environmental sustainability is a priority for City Parks. “Grass clippings are collected and disposed of at Pikitup landfill sites for composting, which helps us maintain an eco-friendly approach to our operations.

“However, we often face challenges such as machinery breakdowns, weather-related downtime, work stoppages from the community, and issues of excessive dumping and littering. These factors can disrupt scheduled maintenance and delay timely mowing,” she added.

Moodley said they have no plans for the future yet, as the maintenance standards are controlled by the budget and are determined before the start of a financial year.

“The entity then endorses the planned maintenance schedule for that particular year through the COJ,” she concluded.

City Parks service level standard per annum

• Maintenance of flagship parks – 12 maintenance cycles
• Maintenance of developed parks – 4 maintenance cycles
• Maintenance of undeveloped parks – 4 maintenance cycles
• Maintenance of landscaped islands and town entrances – 12 maintenance cycles
• Maintenance of flagship/active cemeteries – 4 maintenance cycles
• Maintenance of passive cemeteries – 4 maintenance cycles

City Parks service level standard per quarter

• Maintenance of flagship Parks – 3 maintenance cycles
• Maintenance of developed Parks – 1 maintenance cycle
• Maintenance of undeveloped Parks – 1 maintenance cycle
• Maintenance of landscaped islands and town entrances – 3 maintenance cycles
• Maintenance of flagship/active cemeteries – 1 maintenance cycle
• Maintenance of passive cemeteries – 1 maintenance cycle

City Parks service level standard monthly targets

• Maintenance of flagship Parks – 1 cycle
• Maintenance of developed Parks – 1 cycle (within 3 months)
• Maintenance of undeveloped Parks – 1 cycle (within 3 months)
• Maintenance of landscaped islands and town entrances – 1 cycle
• Maintenance of flagship/active cemeteries – 1 cycle (within 3 months)
• Maintenance of passive cemeteries – 1 cycle (within 3 months)

Follow us on our Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok pages. Join our WhatsApp group for any story ideas you may have.

Related article: Report fallen trees to City Parks