Mowing & Mulching

Almost 40% of land within Riverside represents public land and is owned by the Village. As a result during the spring, summer, and fall, mowing and mulching occupies a significant portion of the department's operating hours. To give a better idea of how much land area the department maintains, here is a breakdown:

Mowing

Dependent on the season, mowing usually begins mid-late April and will continue into October. Public Works will usually mow the entire Village during the following seasons:

Mulching

When trees drop their leaves in the fall, Public Works will mulch leaves into the ground. The reason for mulching instead of bagging is, mulch provides fertilization and promotes the growth and health of the lawn. Ideally the department mulches the entire Village 2 times before it snows.

Priority after Rain

Rain is the number one hindrance to mowing operations. Not only does a day of rain equate to one less day of mowing, rain also helps the grass grow faster. When rainfall is extremely heavy and saturates the ground, it may delay mowing for several days and prolong the mowing cycle because the ground can not support the weight of mowing equipment.

Ball Fields

During the summer, ball fields take first priority for mowing because of the many sports programs coordinated through the Parks and Recreation department. After mowing the ball parks is caught up, the department will target the rest of the Village as required.

Heavy Rain

During seasons of heavy rain, we ask for your patience due to the prolonged mowing cycles.