Started over thirteen years ago in response to a terrible at-work accident, and from there growing to employ multiple generations of the same family, the story of MacGregor’s premiere landscaping and snow removal company, Ladeana’s Lawn & Snow, is one to remember.

For this week’s MacGregor Homegrown Business Highlight, I talked to Ladeana’s Certified Arborist, Krystal Unrau, about the history of Ladeana’s and was fascinated by what I found out.

Tell me what all does Ladeana’s do specifically? Who is involved?

Ladeana’s Lawn and Snow is a full-service landscape company for both residential and commercial customers. We can design your yard, build your yard as well as maintain it. We offer custom mowing and tree services with an ISA Certified Arborist on our staff. We can build and design anything from softscape to hardscape, offering services like plant/turf installation, yard levelling, parking pad building/correction, and a number of other things. In the winter, we are expert snow removal specialists also.

We are a local, family-owned and operated company. Our dad, Wilf Unrau, started the company getting us kids, Tyler and I, involved from a young age. Our mom, Ladeana, is where the company gets its name. As you can guess, she has helped immeasurably over the years to get us to where we are today! 

Tell me the story of how Ladeana’s began.

My dad, Wilf, started the business back in 2007 when we were still living in Winnipeg. He was working for Standard Aero at the time and due to an accident, he broke his back at work. Standard Aero unfortunately did not have a place for someone with a broken back but my dad needed work. So he decided to start his own company.

When he was wondering what kind of business to start, the closest thing he could find to his other passion, farming, was cutting grass. He needed something to do in the winter and had always removed snow on the side, so he began doing that also.

Another reason for him to start this type of business was that often he saw seniors as well as other people struggling to do their yard maintenance themselves. My dad is the kind of man who feels compelled to help people in need and so then and there was when this business started. Over time, this evolved into working for commercial companies as well as people with busy home lives.

How has running Ladeana’s gone over the years?

Over the years Ladeana’s Lawn and Snow has gone from lawn mowing, snow removal and small softscape projects to a full-service business that includes design. As the years went on and Tyler and I, started getting older and taking on more responsibility from our dad, we were able to help grow the business more.

Since my dad was a farmer who happened to do custom mowing, Ducks Unlimited Canada sought out our services. This is how we developed our custom agricultural mowing division.

Dad is also a Red Seal machinist and mechanic, so we have been fortunate enough to be able to fix all of our own equipment and modify things to ensure we provide the best possible service on the market. 

What is the history of Ladeana’s in MacGregor? How does Ladeana’s work to give back to MacGregor?

As I mentioned, we actually started Ladeana’s in Winnipeg. However, my dad grew up in MacGregor and has always loved the community. So we decided to make MacGregor our new home base. That being said, our family is no stranger to business in MacGregor as our grandfather once owned a service station/repair shop here! The move was like coming back to our roots.

It is because of this connection with MacGregor that we have made a priority of giving back to the area as we are best able. The main way that happens now is by serving the needs of boards around town as they arise. I sit on one board currently, but when a board or committee needs input on something we are experts in, we are happy to help. One highlight this has had is being asked by the council how to best “green up” the town! We have also provided a lot of free or heavily discounted services to local churches as the need arises and this year we were given the opportunity to do snow removal on Jackson Lake for the 2020 ice fishing derby hosted by the Austin Fire Department!

How has COVID impacted Ladeana’s?

The lockdown has impacted our business namely by allowing the people of MacGregor to have more time at home. Because of this, everyone has started to look to their yards and because of this, deciding they want to create their own personal oasis.

We were prepared to shut down as Ontario’s Construction industry was forced to stop work, but we have been grateful it didn’t come to that in Manitoba.

Any additional details that would encourage people to help Ladeana’s now? 

As this summer has been one of our busiest ones yet, I just encourage the community to share this article and follow along with us by finding us on Instagram or Facebook [links below]. Invite your friends and families to like our pages too!

Ladeana’s Lawn and Snow is a business built around family. Not only are their employees a part of their family, but so are their customers. With more than 10 years in the business, Ladeana’s Lawn and Snow has the knowhow to get your job done.

Open Monday to Saturday 6 AM - 6 PM

1 (204) 782-0348