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COMMUNITIES IN BLOOM ALBERTA E-NEWSLETTER | FALL & WINTER 2012
The Alberta Provincial Edition of Communities in Bloom is overseen by ARPA
In This Issue
○ 2012 Alberta Provincial Awards
○ 2012 National Awards and Symposium
○ Encana Lends a Helping Hand
○ Communities in Bloom Judges Tea and Social
○ Meet a Communities in Bloom Alberta Judge: Lorna McIlroy
○ Communities in Bloom during the Winter
○ Growing Your Way: Share Communities in Bloom with Others
○ Registration Reminder






2012 Alberta Provincial Awards
In a unique departure from previous years, the 2012 CiB Alberta Provincial Awards Ceremony took place in conjunction with the CiB National Awards and Symposium, hosted by the Edmonton Capital Region from October 10th to the 13th.

Approximately 100 delegates from 20 CiB Alberta Communities were in attendance on Friday, October 12th at the Hole's Enjoy Centre in St. Albert to enjoy the Provincial Awards. In addition to the recognition provided to each of the 2012 participating communities, the event included door prize draws and opportunities for networking and socializing. 

 

Encana Corporation, which is in its third year as official Provincial Presenting Partner for the Communities in Bloom Alberta program, was represented at the awards ceremony by Mr. Mark Sutherland, Community Relations Advisor and Ms. Erin Olesen, Community Investment Advisor. Erin delivered greetings on behalf of Encana and both Mark and Erin assisted in presenting certificates and awards to community representatives.

 

The Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA), Encana and CiB Alberta acknowledged and congratulated all participating communities within their respective population categories. 

 

(*denotes Category Winner):

 

Population 1 - 500                      Population 501 - 2,000

Holden - 5 Blooms*                      Bon Accord - 5 Blooms*

Champion - 3 Blooms                   Calling Lake - 4 Blooms

Delia - 5 Blooms                          Spirit River - 5 Blooms

Glenwood - 2 Blooms                   Thorsby - 4 Blooms

Sangudo - 4 Blooms                     Valleyview - 2 Blooms

Veteran - 4 Blooms

 

Population 2,001 - 6,000             Population 6,001 - 15,000

Provost - 5 Blooms*                      Drayton Valley - 5 Blooms*

Clairmont - 4 Blooms                    Taber - 4 Blooms

Hanna - 4 Blooms

Redwater - 5 Blooms                    Friends - Non-Evaluated

                                                  Cardston

Friends - Evaluated                    Carseland

Drumheller - 4 Blooms                  Coaldale

Hay Lakes - 4 Blooms                  Coronation

Manville - 4 Blooms                      Milo

Onoway - 3 Blooms                      Strathmore

Wabamun - 4 Blooms                   Strome

Wabasca-Desmarais - 2 Blooms    Three Hills


Village of Holden: Winner of Population Category 1 - 500.
Left to right: Bernie and Amada Marko from the Village of Holden and Erin Olesen, Community Investment Advisor, Encana.

Town of Bon Accord: Winner of Population Category 501 - 2,000. 
Left to right:  Dave Hutton, Randy Boyd, Heather Edwards, Kathy Hutton and
Raymond Carriere, Founding President of CiB


Town of Provost: Winner of Population Category 2,001 - 6,000.
Left to right:  Dale Gregory, Antoinette Erasmus and
Ted Blowes (Immediate Past Chair, CiB National)


Town of Drayton Valley: Winner of Population Category 6,001 - 15,000.
Left to right:  Nancy McClure, Heather Rennison,
Brendan Casement (CiB Alberta Judge), and Nicole Nadeau


2012 National Awards and Symposium

The Edmonton Capital Region welcomed delegates from around the world to the 2012 National Communities in Bloom Awards and Symposium from October 10-13th. Over 350 representatives from 9 different countries enjoyed the unique opportunity to network on topics such as the environment, horticulture and community.

 

The Symposium's opening keynote address was provided by the Honourable Doug Griffiths, Minister of Alberta Municipal Affairs.

 

The three days of Symposium activities included presentations and interactive sessions as well as visits to Capital Region CiB communities, tours of the Edmonton Waste Management Centre, Muttart Conservatory and Fort Edmonton Park, along with presentations on topics such as neighborhood engagement, school gardens and sustainable energy solutions.

 

CiB Alberta extends congratulations to the community of Jasper, Alberta who was a National Award Winner for the population category 3,001 to 6,500. Best wishes also to Strathcona County who won the Class of Champions in the Large Population category. 

 

Outstanding Achievement Awards went to the Alberta communities of Gibbons, Edmonton, Stetter, Brooks and Wood Buffalo. Congratulations to the Edmonton Capital Region organizers of CiB 2012 and to all of Alberta's participants!  A complete summary of National Awards results can be viewed on the National website.

 

Photos from the Mayors' Welcome Reception and Flag Exchange in Sherwood Park.
Source: Facebook

 

Home Hardware Gardening Expert Mark Cullen speaking at the Community Showcase Dinner held at the Enjoy Centre in St. Albert. 
Source: Home Hardware Congratulates the 2012 'Communities in Bloom' Award Winners Article found here . 

Encana Lends a Helping Hand

Encana Corporation, Provincial Presenting Partner of Communities in Bloom Alberta, has a long history of helping build strong and sustainable communities where it operates and of contributing to initiatives that encourage positive actions in environmental stewardship.

 

In light of this history, it was no surprise when Encana stepped up once again, this time to help CiB Alberta community volunteers attend our 2012 Provincial Awards event. On September 17, 2012, Encana established an Encana Communities in Bloom Resource Fund to provide a cash grant of $250 per CiB Alberta community, available on a first-come-first-serve basis, to help defray travel and accommodation costs related to attendance at the 2012 Alberta Provincial Awards and/or the National Awards & Symposium.

 

To be eligible for the grant, CiB participant communities were requested to showcase their community's 2012 efforts and achievements in the area of Environmental Action, as well as write a brief summary of their experience with this year's CiB program, describing how it benefitted their local community and environment. 

 

The Village of Delia discussed how they replaced deteriorating concrete sidewalks with red brick tile slabs made from recycled tires.

 

Drayton Valley Tree Days

The Town of Drayton Valley partnered with the local Royal Canadian Cadet Squadron to produce two beautiful gardens, one on either side of their Legion Cenotaph. They also partnered with Eagle Point Blue Rapids Park and the TD Bank to plant over 125 trees.

 

The Hamlet of Sangudo took pride in their trash receptacles and recycling bins that were decorated to be more noticeable and admired.

 

The Village of Champion undertook some significant projects in planting over two hundred trees and reclaiming a former gas station site.

 

Residents of the Village of Mannville are becoming more aware of their water consumption because they have installed water-meters in their homes in hopes of discouraging excessive water use.

 

The Towns of Veteran, Clairmont and Holden related stories which reaffirmed how their hard work has been both a challenge and reward for the entire community.

 

The Communities in Bloom Alberta program has become a catalyst for community involvement and thanks to Encana, our volunteers from eight of this year's communities enjoyed an evening of recognition for all their hard work.  

 

Representatives from the eight communities who received an Encana Communities in Bloom Resource Fund grant. The grant was presented by Encana's Mark Sutherland (left) and Erin Olesen (fourth from the right).

 

Communities in Bloom Judges' Tea and Social

During the National Symposium in Edmonton, CiB Alberta and its judges hosted the first ever Communities in Bloom Judges' Social & Tea. On Saturday, October 13th, 2012, Provincial, National and International CiB judges and their spouses gathered at the Westin Hotel for a time of social interaction and exchange of ideas over tea, coffee and light refreshments. Door prizes were drawn throughout the two-hour event sponsored by the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association and the Encana Corporation.

 

A big thank you goes out to all present and past Communities in Bloom Judges. It is through their dedication and hard work that Communities in Bloom continues to be so successful.

 

A special thanks Communities in Bloom Alberta judges Lucy Chang, Lorna McIlroy and Rose Carmichael for their generous contributions of time and effort that was so key to the success of this unique and special event.

 

CiB Alberta judge Gillian Evans (far right) enjoys her tea with CiB National judges Odette Sabourin-Dumais and Lucie Gagne (2nd and 3rd from right), along with Mr.
 and Mrs. Maurice Baren from the UK (far left) and Evelyn Alemanni of America in Bloom (standing at back).

 

Meet a Communities in Bloom Alberta Judge: Lorna McIlroy

Early retirement from a rewarding career in the classroom has allowed Lorna to follow her many passions as a volunteer. At the top of her list is Communities in Bloom (CiB) and Lorna has spent much of the past eight summers as a provincial, national and international judge, taking great pleasure in seeing 'People, Plants and Pride - Growing Together'.

 

As a long standing member of the Alberta Horticultural Association (AHA) and a trained horticultural judge, she has enjoyed judging and for the past twenty years has instructed judging courses for the AHA in Alberta, northern British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. She is proud to have been named an Honorary Life Member of AHA and is currently serving as their President. She particularly appreciates the excellent partnership that presently exists between CiB Alberta and AHA.

 

Lorna is also president of the North Western Alberta Retired Teachers' Association and works hard to support the welfare of present and future members and provide service to retirees in the community.  She sits on a Grande Prairie City committee and is also active with the Highland Games association, the Historical society, Genealogy society and the local Garden club.

 

As a lifelong gardener and a lifelong "learner", Lorna learns something from every community that she visits. In addition to her degrees in Education, since retirement she has completed the Prairie Horticulture Landscaping & Arboriculture program, with distinction.

 

Travel is one of Lorna's passions and she jumps at every opportunity to see more of the world.  However, she keeps her feet on the ground and her hands in the soil by planting and maintaining the local Museum garden as well as the Community Garden. Fortunately, Lorna has a husband who keeps the home fires burning, the gardens tended and the dog happy while maintaining a watchful eye on their two daughters and two young granddaughters who live nearby.

 

 

Communities in Bloom during the Winter
Berta Briggs

Just as some of the most important work for your garden is done from your armchair in winter, it is the same with the planning for Communities in Bloom (CiB). As the saying goes - if you don't know where you are going you are never going to get there.

 

A cold winter afternoon or evening is the perfect time to gather your CiB committee together to reflect upon and celebrate your successes of the past year. It is also a great opportunity to determine what your goal is for next year and to get your registration form in!  With the general aim fresh in mind, give committee members time to think about the action plans to reach your objectives.

 

Start by doing a careful inventory of the activities and assets under each of the evaluation criteria. Be sure your human resources are near the top of the list; this includes your committee members or potential members, as well as the key people in your community who oversee projects or who would like to become more involved in their community. If Communities in Bloom is well established, these individuals are already part of the process. If not, winter is the best time to inform and engage people in CiB.  

 

It is important that your municipal council be a full partner. When they realize the social and economic impact an active CiB program can have on their community, they will be eager to participate. Also, acquaint your local service clubs and volunteer organizations with the CiB program and its benefits. Very often these groups fear that they are going to be asked to do more, when in fact CiB is just there to provide them with some well deserved recognition for what they are already doing in the community. Through this sharing of information they become part of the program and soon discover that they can enhance their own projects and activities by creating opportunities for valuable synergies with other groups.

 

Keeping in mind that CiB focuses upon the promotion and importance of green spaces in community settings, look carefully at your parks, trails, playgrounds, boulevards, sport fields, etc., and work with all parties to create a common vision. Community pride is a huge motivator and as the public spaces are enhanced you will see business and residential areas grow in enthusiasm as well.

 

Be clear to calculate the costs of creating your vision - in an active community 'in-kind' and volunteer support is a huge part of the budget input. Take time to check out websites to access ideas, grants and other opportunities that are available to communities. 

 

After a few meetings, the game plan for the coming year will emerge and all the activities can be listed and become the basis of the Profile Book. Remember that the goal of the Community Profile Book is to provide a snapshot of the community and a brief description of what is being done under each criteria by all partners in the current year.

 

Like planning your garden for the coming year, the most important work is done for Communities in Bloom through thinking, communicating and creating an action plan with all partners chasing the same butterflies. Enjoy a productive and satisfying CiB winter!

 

Written by: Berta Briggs, CiB Alberta judge and Owner of Arber Greenhouses Ltd, Wetaskiwin, AB.

 

Growing Your Way: Share Communities in Bloom with Others

Do you know a neighboring community that may be interested in participating in the CiB Alberta program?  

 

If so, pass on our brochure "GROWING YOUR WAY: An Invitation to Participate in Alberta's Communities in Bloom Program". In this two-page leaflet, you will find the benefits of being involved in the Program as well as 3 Easy Steps to Get Started.  

 

If you know of someone who may be interested in the CiB Alberta Program, please forward their contact information to Dan Chambers, CiB Alberta Provincial Coordinator ([email protected]). We would love to have them grow with us!

 

Growing Your Way Brochure (PDF)

 

Registration Reminder
The registration form for the 2013 Alberta Provincial Edition of Communities in Bloom is now available! 
 
 
The deadline for registration is March 31, 2013
 
Don't hesitate to contact Dan Chambers, Provincial Coordinator, at 780-458-5383, or [email protected] if you have any questions.

 



Communities in Bloom Alberta | www.arpaonline.ca/program/cib
Dan Chambers | ph: 780-415-1745 | fax: 780-451-7915 | [email protected]