DIDSBURY - Council has been updated on the Communities in Bloom (CIB) beautification program’s evaluation, projects and judging in 2023.
The update came from a delegation from the Didsbury CIB committee during a recent, regularly-scheduled council meeting.
The committee was established in 2022 as a way to “engage local residents with a passion for horticulture, gardening, environmental stewardship and the community.”
The committee is spearheaded by six local residents, including Kathleen Windsor. The Town of Didsbury's director of community services, Nicole Aasen, also spoke as part of the delegation.
“We managed to get a lot of things done in 2023,” said Windsor.
Didsbury competed in the provincial CIB evaluation through the Friends - Evaluated category in 2022 and 2023.
Under the category communities are evaluated on six categories: community appearance, environmental action, heritage conservation, tree management, landscape, and plant-floral displays.
In 2023, the community received a score of 80.1 per cent, compared with 80.05 in 2022.
As well as judging the categories, the evaluation team also made recommendations.
In the community appearance category, the committee recommended the installation of interpretive signage and/or storyboards at key locations within the community to describe their history and purpose, and consideration of a Yard Angel program to assist with unsightly properties.
In the environmental action program, the committee recommended a rebate program for water conservation through replacement of toilets and/or shower heads with low-flush/flow alternatives.
In the heritage conservation category, the committee recommended the reinstatement of a cemetery society to assist with cemetery maintenance and improvements.
In the tree management category, the committee recommendations include providing pruning and maintenance leaning opportunities for staff members, elimination of the use of landscape fabric in municipal plantings, and offering a tree maintenance for beginners course for residents.
In the landscape category, the committee recommendations include engaging businesses in a beautification program and providing weed education to residents through a Weed of the Week program.
In the plant and floral displays category, the committee recommended “work towards more perennial displays to encourage long-term growth, and consider a garden tour of key residential properties in Didsbury."
Overall feedback including calling on the community to “continue to build CIB community membership and small projects to allow volunteers to participate and the support of the Town of Didsbury is excellent to coordinated efforts, funding and manpower for improvements to the community.
“Begin to develop a community profile specific to the CIB program.”
Aasen said, “It was all really great feedback from the judges. Overall they said that we are very inviting community to attend.”
The Didsbury CIB committee is planning a number of projects for 2024, including development of a community garden in town, including program development and installation, and continuing to apply for grants in support of the local program, council heard.
“We are hoping to see some success in that (grant applications),” Aasen said.
Mayor Hunter says the community appreciates the work of the CIB committee and she encouraged local residents to get involved.
Council accepted the CIB delegation presentation as information.
