The second annual Communities in Bloom (CiB) event in 100 Mile House has taken root and appears to be thriving.
A week-long community cleanup, Clean is Green, held in April, and a huge plant sale held at the Stan Halcro Arena (Agriplex) in early June saw good participation and laid the groundwork for the remaining phases of this year’s effort. Last year, 100 Mile House scored three out five blooms in the British Columbia Communities in Bloom program, and Angela Cole, a key co-ordinator for the local CiB project, says this year’s goal is to improve on that when judges swing through the community on July 16-17 for evaluation.
Their evaluations will be made on the criteria of community involvement; tidiness effort; environmental action; heritage conservation; urban forestry; landscaped areas, including turf and groundcovers; and floral displays.
Until that time, the local 100 Mile CiB Committee will be driving around town in the Community Cruiser, keeping a lookout for businesses and private individuals who make an effort to spruce up their surroundings. Improvements made will be evaluated, documented and then acknowledged at the CiB community barbecue on July 17.
Cole says people can ensure they will be included in the friendly competition by filling out an entry form that can be picked up at either the District of 100 Mile House office or the South Cariboo Chamber of Commerce, in the advertisement on page A38 of today’s Free Press or downloaded from the chamber website at www.southcariboochamber.org/cib.html. Those interested can also contact Cole at 250-706-2044.
Something new this year is the Green Team, which consists of clients of Cedar Crest Society who will weed gardens and tidy up a business or private property for a cash donation. They will come armed with bedding plants, which are leftovers donated by the agriculture class at Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School following its plant sale.
Another addition this year is the Community Pride Project Competition for clubs, societies, businesses, industry and any groups that make a visual contribution or improvement for the betterment of the community.
“If your group is doing something, we want to know about it,” Cole says, adding the committee would like to see before-and-after photos and a written project description that will go into the official CiB community profile book and be reviewed by the judges. The profile book can be viewed on the chamber website.
To improve the community’s bloom rating this year, Cole says attention has to be focused on cleaning up vacant lots. She would like to hear from any group that has access to weed-whackers and is willing to volunteer some time. Their contribution would go into the Community Pride Project.
Cole notes 100 Mile House Elementary School has formed a weed-pulling group that will be cleaning up near its school.
