Steinbach city council has decided it's too expensive to fix a problematic drainage swale on Home Street. The swale is located in the block just north of Loewen Boulevard. Area residents put forward a request last January, asking that something be done because of serious ice buildup in the winter and large puddles in the summer when it rains.

Mayor Chris Goertzen says the administration has looked at various options and they are all very costly.

"The swale that is on Home Street North is not the ideal design. It was designed many, many years ago and to change the design, we were told is significant dollars, well over $1 million."

Goertzen says council has decided, for now, the only action that will be taken is to ask city staff to be vigilant in checking the swale and clearing snow and ice away more frequently. He adds, if and when the street is rebuilt at some point in the future, the city will come up with a permanent fix.

"When we do complete rebuilds, that will be re-designed and that will go forward, but for the time being, that will not be rebuilt."