Come Tuesday, July 31, a volunteer jury of trained professionals from Communities in Bloom (CIB) will make their way to Drumheller.
Touring the valley, these trained judges will be evaluating the community green spaces on eight key criteria: tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry, landscape, turf and groundcovers, floral displays and community involvement.
“They will drive all over town and judge on how we take care of everything from greenspaces, tree placement to flower displays,” said Trish Parker, president of Drumheller Communities in Bloom.
Municipal, private, corporate and institutional sectors, and citizens will all be considered in the judging process.
CIB is a non-profit organization, which is committed to fostering community pride, environmental responsibility and civic beautification. Through community involvement and the challenge of a national program, CIB is focusing on the value and promotion of green spaces within municipalities.
“It is important for communities to get involved with Communities in Bloom because it helps us to applaud those who give back to the community and to let us know where we can improve,” said Parker.
Established under the guidance of Britain in Bloom, CIB held its first edition in 1995. Twenty nine communities were honoured at the awards ceremony on Parliament Hill in the first year. The program now includes hundreds of communities across the country.
“We have been involved since 2002 and in that time, I have seen great improvements. Since we are a tourist town, and have so much to show case, it is important to keep things tidy and well cared for,” said Parker.
The judges will arrive in Drumheller at 10 a.m. for a reception at Town Hall. Judging will begin following the reception. Brendan Casement and Colin Carmichael will be representing CIB as judges this year.
