A couple of Communities in Bloom judges who recently got to tour local landscape and historical highlights seemed impressed by what they saw during their visit to Sundre.
While their final report outlining a more detailed analysis, including advice for further improvements, will not be released until mid-September, judges Lorna McIlroy, from Grande Prairie, and Bob Côté, from Bruderheim, northeast of Edmonton, said Sundre was certainly on the right track.
“The Communities in Bloom program is all about people, plants and pride growing together,” said McIlroy last week during a phone interview.
“And that is really happening in Sundre.”
From the mayor all the way through to businesses, clubs and organizations as well as residents who volunteer to donate their time, energy and resources, McIlroy said, “They’re all really making Sundre a really great place to live.”
Côté, during a separate interview over the phone, expressed similar sentiments.
“We both really enjoyed coming to Sundre. It’s a great looking community,” he said, adding just about everybody seems to be on board with a collaborative effort to improve sustainability.
“They really did a good job this year. Everybody’s working towards improving the looks of the community.”
The two judges evaluated Sundre and a few surrounding area highlights on Wednesday, Aug. 7 during a guided tour of the town with members of the local Communities in Bloom committee.
Communities in Bloom judges Bob Côté, centre, and Lorna McIlroy toured around the community on Wednesday, Aug. 8, including among the many stops a guided visit at the Sundre and District Museum’s picturesque pioneer village with interim director William Davies.
“It went absolutely amazing. I learned a whole bunch more about our wonderful town,” said Jean Jones, a member of the Sundre CiB committee and also an active member of the Sundre Paddling Club as well as the secretary for the Sundre and District Chamber of Commerce.
“I didn’t know about the lagoon system, (and) I had never been to the cemetery,” said Jones, who lives just west of Sundre.
“It was a cloudy day, but it was absolutely stunning.”
Additionally, Jones said she was previously not particularly familiar with the Sundre hospital’s palliative care garden and the adjacent Sundre Community Garden.
“Those were very impressive.”
In the lead-up to the judges’ visit, Jones said a couple of members of the Sundre Garden Club — Terry Nelson and Rene Gibson — also drove her around town to show off some residential properties whose owners have invested a labour of love in their landscaping efforts.
“It was really a treat — they knew all the spots,” she said.
“I had not seen some of the most amazing gardens we have,” some of which are a bit tucked away off the beaten path, she said.
“The pride and hard work that people have put in is amazing.”
Along the way, they had placed signs for outstanding lawns, gardens and landscaping efforts.
“People should be recognized for their hard work,” said Jones.
“I was so proud of the town and everyone’s effort.”
Nelson said the garden club’s endeavour to recognize exemplary yards and gardens is an ongoing initiative that will continue into September.
Dave Lewis, president of the Foothills Terrace Condominium Association, was among those in the community who were pleasantly surprised to find such a sign staked on the property’s lawn.
“Everybody was so happy about that,” said Lewis, adding the association and residents of the 24-unit condo decided to tidy things up upon hearing of the judges’ planned visit.
“It was really fun doing it because everybody was pulling together,” he said.
Their efforts involved trimming trees and adding a couple of new ones, redoing lawns, aerating, moving gravel along the side of the structure and adding wood shavings out front, as well as planting flowers and some painting, he said.
“We did a lot of work. We didn’t want to raise condo fees on account of that, so we all chipped in,” he said, adding everyone voluntarily contributed their own time and resources.
Jim Barbaro, who helps to immaculately maintain the grounds at the condo, inspired others to rise to the challenge, said Lewis.
“I’m really proud of how everybody pulled together.”
Jones said not everything was about gardens and flowers, and praised Sundre’s operations manager Jim Hall, who oversaw the municipality’s effort to improve the Bearberry Creek’s riparian habitat by placing some rocks in the stream and planting a variety of trees as well as shrubs.
“I didn’t know about that,” she said.
“I’m still learning so much and seeing new things.”
Overall, the tour, which also included stops at the municipal office, the Sundre and District Museum, and Snake Hill, was great, said McIlroy.
“We like to see 80 per cent of a community. And we certainly did. It was well planned. We saw everything that Sundre has to offer its residents and visitors,” she said.
“There was a lot that impressed us.”
She called Sundre a wonderful place to visit, and added the community has “everything that you would want to find in a town that size.”
When asked whether there were any particularly memorable highlights that she took away, McIlroy mentioned efforts to enhance development in the downtown area — namely the new Greenwood Community Gazebo and the trial public parking lot.
“They are outstanding,” she said, applauding the donations and volunteer work that made the gazebo possible.
Although the judges’ report won’t be released until later, McIlroy’s advice in the meantime is to “just keep up the great work. There’s a great spirit of optimism and volunteerism in the town.”
According to a press release, Sundre is among 22 communities across Alberta taking part in the program’s provincial edition.
Judges, who travel across the province in July and August, evaluate participating communities on these criteria: tidiness; environmental action; heritage conservation; urban forestry; landscape; and floral displays. Communities are assigned a Bloom Rating in acknowledgement of the contributions made by municipal councils and departments, local businesses, and volunteers. The results will be unveiled at the 2019 provincial awards ceremony.
The Alberta Recreation and Parks Association administers the Communities in Bloom initiative in Alberta. The association is a not-for-profit organization committed to helping create healthier and happier communities and citizens by developing and promoting recreation and parks. Visit cib.arpaonline.ca for more information about the Communities in Bloom program.
“The great thing about Communities in Bloom is that the organization provides advice and consultation that we can take from, to apply to our community and ensure that we are achieving standards of community environment, sustainability, and natural heritage that we might not have otherwise,” wrote Jon Allan, a member of the CiB committee and Sundre’s economic development officer, in an email.
This year’s committee — those who stuck with the committee from the start to finish — was made up of the following members: Jean Jones; Terry Nelson; William Davies, executive director of the Sundre and District Museum; Barb Rock, Sundre’s community services assistant; Sue Nelson, Sundre’s community services manager; and Allan.
“Although I hope we will get recognition with a full five blooms, in my books, Sundre is a ten bloom community that is constantly growing and investing into itself. Each and every year, for as long as I have been here, this town has gotten prettier and prettier,” said Allan.
“Fortunately, the Town of Sundre takes its natural environment very seriously. We have elements of natural heritage and beauty built right into our statutory documents, like the Open Space and Trails Plan, and the Municipal Development Plan. This helps us.”
As Sundre grows, the municipality aims to develop new parks and open spaces, revitalize the downtown and the historic riverside area, as well as engage in the process of ‘place-making’ and quality of life development, he said.
“I love seeing our community invest in itself through beautification efforts, and our participation in Communities in Bloom year after year is a testament to that,” he said.
“I’m sure ours will be not be just a ‘five bloom’ community, but a benchmark for other communities,” he added. “And I know that we are winners regardless of the outcome of the CiB awards happening on September 21.”
Communities in Bloom judges Bob Côté and Lorna McIlroy take a look at one of the historic horse carriages on display at the museum’s pioneer village. Simon Ducatel/MVP Staff
