Story Archive

City Grass

In 1965, Remo and Lina Michelini moved into a house in Toronto, Ont., Canada. In 2008, as a traffic control measure, the city decided to extend the curb by their house into the street and put in some grass. City workers trimmed the grass — the Michelinis called in every year to ask them to. But this year, the city sent a notice: trim the grass on “your property” or risk an inspection. The Michelinis, now 91 and 88, called the city council and, when that failed, CTV Toronto. “They built it, they can take care [of it],” Lina said. “It’s not my property.” The mayor told workers to trim the grass — or he would. So who actually did the mowing? Geoff Whitlock, of Custodia Seniors Support. “They’re older and things change and nobody told them,” he said. (AC/CTV) ...So there was a time municipal governments took care of their own problems?