DIDSBURY - Town council has official endorsed the municipality’s participation in the 2022 Communities in Bloom (CiB) program.
The move came by way of motion at the recent, regularly-scheduled council meeting, held in person and on YouTube.
The CiB program encourages participants to help beautify their community, especially during spring and summer.
"The Town of Didsbury has entered into the CiB in 2022 after a four-year hiatus. This year the town is participating in the Friends: Evaluated category, a non-competitive stream that is offered as a “great way to ease back into the CiB program without the pressure of competing that initial year,” Ethan Gorner, the town's chief administrative officer, said in a note to council, noting the cost of participating in the stream in 2022 totals $340.
Under the program, during July and August a group of trained volunteer judges will visit the town to complete evaluation of the community relative to CIB criteria, he said.
Evaluation will be on several categories, including community appearance, environmental action, heritage conservation, tree management, landscaping, and plant and floral displays.
Starting this year, the town’s parks department has worked to establish a volunteer CiB committee.
“This group of area residents have a passion for gardening, landscaping, the environment, and of course for Didsbury,” he said. “They are motivated to contribute to our CiB entry, but also to improving our community through their combined efforts.”
A number of initiatives are planned for 2022, including landscaping improvements at the Welcome to Didsbury sign on the east entrance to the municipality.
As well, the ‘Didsbees Sanctuary’ project will see bee hives safely installed in the community in June. Other projects also include enhanced flower beds, baskets and barrels in the community.
Council passed a motion endorsing the Town of Didsbury CiB participating in 2022.
Supporting pedestrian traffic
Meanwhile, the municipality applied for funding under a new federal program in support of promoting and encouraging pedestrian traffic in town.
Councillors passed a motion backing the letter of support for the application for funding under the Active Transportation Fund. The move also came during the recent, regularly-scheduled council meeting.
Due to timelime constraints, the letter had already been sent to the federal government with council approval obtained on April 12.
In the application letter, Town of Didsbury Mayor Rhonda Hunter said the funding would be used toward the development of the town’s Pedestrian Connectivity Master Plan to “map out a network of trails and pathways that will connect throughout the town. This has been recognized as a significant community need for some time and it is paramount that the Town of Didsbury is able to offer residents and visitors safe alternatives to driving.”
Once completed the plan would grant universal accessibility, creating equal opportunity for mobility of all trail users, she said.
“It will steer foot-traffic in the direction of local businesses, expanding Didsbury’s economic climate. It will serve as an advocacy for more community spaces, improved air quality, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Ultimately it will foster a vibrant, healthy community, improving the well-being of residents and visitors alike,” she said.
The town is applying for a maximum of $50,000.
