Volunteer members of the Communities in Bloom working group, Town of Pelham Council and staff welcomed the judging team from Communities in Bloom on July 11 and 12 to Pelham. The two judges representing Communities in Bloom, Paul Ronan and Daren Murawski, combined have over 60 years of experience in landscape, horticulture, and parks and recreation and used their experience to evaluate the Pelham community.
“We were excited to be able to showcase the great work of the community that continues to make enhancements to make Pelham a caring, active and sustainable community,” said Chief Administrative Officer David Cribbs. “We are looking forward to receiving the comprehensive evaluation from the judges that will provide insight to guide the decision-making of future efforts in Pelham.”
Communities in Bloom is a not-for-profit organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility, and beautification while challenging communities to enhance green spaces. The judges toured locations throughout Pelham, including Old Pelham Town Hall, local parks, conservation areas, business areas, heritage sites, and evaluated them on six key criteria. The feedback is developed into a comprehensive judging report that provides benchmarks for the community including environmental action, heritage conservation, landscaped areas, floral displays, tidiness, and urban forestry and trails.
“All the things that make Pelham a wonderful place to call home can never be seen in just two days,” said Director of Recreation, Culture and Wellness Vickie vanRavenswaay. “We were thrilled to highlight as many unique areas and organizations as possible during our tour that, combined, make the community bloom year-round.”
Before the judges' arrival, the Town of Pelham launched the Communities In Bloom Best Garden contest, which received entries from across the municipality. The winning locations received an official “best garden” sign and a Miracle-Gro prize pack. In preparation for the judges’ tour, a community profile book was provided that includes highlights of community organizations and activities related to the judging criteria throughout Pelham. In the winter of 2023, the Town of Pelham Council included Communities in Bloom as an action item in its strategic plan.
A copy of the community profile book and additional information about Communities in Bloom may be viewed at www.pelham.ca/inbloom.
