In 2025, the city began transitioning sections of Main Street to a naturalized prairie landscape, replacing the formal struggling turf with native grasses, shrubs, and eventual wildflower plantings. The goal — to create a more sustainable and healthier streetscape, but as city officials and community members have noticed — the results are falling short of expectations as current conditions are not where they should be.
“We understand why citizens are disappointed right now and frankly, so are we,” said Mayor Larry Johannson.
“We knew these areas would take time, years to establish and wouldn’t look perfect right away, but they should not look like this. We expect better, and we’re taking steps to address it.”
Contractor not meeting expectations
The city entered into a multi-year agreement with an external contractor to install and maintain the plantings, including ensuring plant survival, replacing failed material, and managing weeds during the establishment period. However, the contractor has not met those obligations.
“Maintenance and care are critical in the early stages of any naturalization project,” said CAO Duane Nicol.
“Right now, the level of care being delivered is not meeting the terms of the contract or our expectations. We’ve issued clear direction and deadlines to bring the work up to standard, and if those are not met, we will pursue enforcement options available to us.”
As with any construction agreement, the process for correcting deficiencies is to point them out to the contractor who is then responsible for addressing them. Direct intervention can void warranties which ultimately puts more cost and risk on the city.
Working to address the situation
“Our team has been pushing for a resolution since spring, but we’ve been abiding by the agreements in place. Where we can, staff have been addressing what they can,” Nicol added.
“At the same time, staff have also been responding to the June 9 storm and focusing on cleanup and recovery efforts across the community. Even so, this situation is not acceptable, and we are actively working to correct it.”
The city notes that many of the original plantings did not survive, and replacements, required as part of the contract, have not yet been completed. Additional planting is planned for this season and the ongoing seasons until fully established including the introduction of more flowering species to help improve both appearance and biodiversity.
Despite current challenges, city officials emphasized that naturalized landscapes are a long-term investment in sustainability and resilience.
“The vision is a prairie-style ecosystem that reflects our region, something that, once established, will be more beautiful, more resilient, and far better for the environment.”Mihali Schindle, Manager of Climate Action and Environmental Services
Boulevards are a very difficult environment for plants. The salts used in winter and the extended dry periods in summer often leave turf grass struggling, sparse and weedy. Creating micro-ecosystems helps to keep the spaces more resilient to these stressors.
“The intention of the project is to move away from turfgrass and traditional landscapes that don’t support biodiversity or provide environmental benefits,” said Mihali Schindle, the city’s Manager of Climate Action and Environmental Services.
“The vision is a prairie-style ecosystem that reflects our region, something that, once established, will be more beautiful, more resilient, and far better for the environment.”
The many benefits of naturalization
Naturalized boulevards require less watering, less mowing, and are more drought-tolerant than conventional turf. They also absorb stormwater, improve air quality by capturing carbon, and support pollinators and local wildlife. Additional benefits include improved soil health, reduced dust, and even some buffering of traffic noise.
Nicol says this approach is already proving effective elsewhere in Canada.
“This is being used in cities all across Canada and so we know it works, once properly established,” Nicol said.
“This is about building something that will serve the community and environment for years to come, but we need to get through this early phase, and we need our contractor to meet their obligations to get us there.”
Protecting Selkirk during extreme weather
The city is actively working to resolve the current issue and get the re-wilding project back on track. The recent storm events are an example of why this project is so important.
“While we had local damage due to the winds, we were spared the record-breaking rains that St. Andrews, Stonewall, and Rockwood received. The new main street is using natural infrastructure to add additional stormwater capacity to an existing street. Adding bioswales, rain gardens, and more sponge green spaces are cost-effective ways to keep water out of basements in a previously developed urban environment,” said Nicol.
“We’re asking citizens to be patient with us,” said Johannson. “We hear you, we agree it needs to look better, and we’re doing everything we can to get it there.”
