Local Communities in Bloom (CIB) committee members are hoping that residents and businesses will help Merritt put its best foot forward when CIB judges arrive to tour the city next week.
“The message we want to get out is for people to clean up their boulevards, make sure the weeds are pulled and lawns are mowed, and just take a bit of extra care with their properties,” said Shelley Sanders CIB member. “Businesses can make a difference as well.”
On July 19, trained volunteer judges will arrive in Merritt to evaluate the community based on the following criteria: tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry, landscape, turf and groundcovers, floral displays and community involvement.
Sanders said the judges will tour all day, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., visiting areas of interest around town from the airport to the public works yard, fire hall and cemetery. Judges will also take a walking tour of the downtown area including Spirit Square and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Like last year, the Baillie House Property will host a garden lunch for the judges and representatives from community groups.
“We’re hoping to achieve a Five Bloom status this year,” said Sanders.
All participating communities receive a rating of one to five ‘Blooms.’ From 2002-2005 Merritt was awarded four blooms, and from 2006-2008 the City earned a total of five blooms. For several years Merritt did not participate in the competition; however, last year visiting judges awarded the community three blooms though Merritt had not officially entered.
The local committee has eight members and together they try to raise awareness and remind citizens to keep the community tidy and practice environmental stewardship.
During a regular council meeting on June 26, committee members thanked Merritt’s bylaw department for its “aggressive stance” on unsightly premises, particularly in the downtown area.
“Unsightly properties appear to show a lack of caring by the city,” said Sanders. “When they are just left like that, it makes the city look bad, so we really appreciate the extra effort.”
The group also proposed some new ideas for dealing with the unsightly dumpsters downtown, such as plastic lids that are more manageable to open, and asked council if it would be appropriate to paint murals on the dumpsters.
“We’d prefer that they just get rid of them altogether, but we’ve found there is no harm in asking,” said Sanders.
In a letter of support for the CIB program, Mayor Susan Roline said: “The City applauds the efforts of the Communities in Bloom committee members for all the hard work and dedication they have shown this community and offers every encouragement that the program will meet success.”
This letter will be included in a compilation the committee has prepared for the judges that is divided into the evaluation categories.
“The book is about 30 pages and it becomes a legacy for the city,” said Sanders. “Just to reiterate, if everyone will do a little bit, it will go a long way.”
