Hanna in Bloom and The Town of Hanna need you!

Hanna in Bloom is a newly formed volunteer based committee striving to promote and achieve three main goals: enhancing community pride, encouraging responsible care of our local environment and inspiring residents to become involved by beautifying their properties and surrounding areas. It is hoped that these efforts will result in a good overall impression on tourists and visitors and give local residents increased enjoyment and pride.

Communities in Bloom, a Canadian non-profit organization promotes continuous community improvement at provincial, national and international levels. Communities have recognized numerous benefits from participating in the program:

• Increase in civic pride and community involvement
• Participation from all ages and walks of life
• Citizens, groups, organizations, business and municipal government all mobilized and working together
• Year round projects; a process of continuous improvement for the whole community
• Tangible and appealing results
• Information and cultural exchanges within the community and with neighbouring communities
• Valuable information and feedback from the judges
• Decreased vandalism
• Economic development
• Increased property values
• Marketing and promotional potential from increased quality of life
• Increased tourism
• Increased impact on the hospitality industry
• Increased impact on the retail industry
• Improved quality of life

Provincially, communities take part with other communities in their population category. Volunteer judges will visit participating communities during the summer months for evaluation in eight priority areas: floral displays, tidiness, environmental awareness, community involvement, landscaped areas, urban forestry, heritage conservation and turf and open spaces.

Here are ideas on how we can participate in the eight key areas:

1. Floral Displays - Colourful landscapes with flower beds, planters and window boxes are a wonderful boost to the community’s visual impression.

TIPS:

• Check out what’s new at the local garden centers and use plants that are suitable to our dry growing conditions.
• Getting school children involved is always fun and rewarding. Plant seeds as a classroom project and transplant seedlings in a public flowerbed or a school garden.

2. Tidiness – A pleasing appearance results from garbage-free, mowed and weeded areas including green spaces, ditches, alleys, vacant lots, streets and sidewalks.

TIPS:

• Lend a hand with the Cemetery Clean Up at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 6, 2006. Town of Hanna will provide a truck, garbage bags and refreshments. Bring rakes, gloves, mowers and pruners.
• Residents can adopt areas near their property and clean up garbage and debris, pull weeds, remove grafitti or old posters. This can be a wonderful family experience while instilling values and caring for where you live.
• Students will have an opportunity to participate in the annual Pitch In Program during the week of April 24 to 30, 2006.

3. Environmental Awareness– Efforts with regard to sustainable development include policies and by-laws on waste reduction, landfills, hazardous waste handling, sewage disposal, recycling and transfer stations. Water conservation, environmental clean-up activities, naturalization and using environmentally friendly transportation add to living in harmony with nature.

TIPS:

• Learning to conserve, protect and enjoy our natural environment with respect to wildlife, parks, hiking trails, waterfront development is a large part of our community’s sustainability. Having clean-up days in these areas or festivals in the parks are events that can help citizens and visitors appreciate the environment and enjoy it.
• Promote recycling, encourage car pooling and alternative modes of transportation.

4. Community Involvement– It doesn’t happen without you! Citizens’ involvement in projects for the betterment and enjoyment of the whole community include horticulture and garden clubs, service groups, school children, teens, seniors, municipal works and local businesses. An involved community is a winning community on any level.

TIPS:

• Local contests are always fun. Participating communities may involve community members by challenging groups or businesses to have the best landscaping, floral displays or signage.
• Getting involved is the easiest way to get outside, be creative, meet your neighbours and have some fun.

5. Urban Forestry– The distribution of trees, variety, suitability, new plantings, main street programs, new survey developments, preservation of heritage trees, woodlots and re-planting procedures are all important components of urban forestry.

TIPS:

• Hold an Arbor Day promoted by contests, children’s posters, tree planting ceremonies, tree identification contests. With the help of arborists and the local heritage society you can identify and commemorate heritage trees within your community.
• Trees can be a wonderful commemorative symbol. Many funeral homes now have programs to dedicate a tree in memory of a loved one. Some communities have programs where they plant a tree in celebration of a birth. What a wonderful way to pay tribute to someone special and at the same time help with re-foresting an area.

6. Heritage Conservation– Policies and by-laws on preservation and restoration of buildings, homes, churches, cemeteries, parks, heritage gardens, monuments and artifacts are important to a community’s heritage. Involving the historical society and heritage advisory committees is an important factor.

TIPS:

• Planting a heritage garden is a wonderful way to promote community involvement and get garden clubs, service clubs and the historical society working together and learning from each other.
• Preserving heritage and culture in your community is a wonderful way to involve your youth, celebrate and appreciate your past, present and future and attract tourists.

7. Landscaped Areas– Landscaping is a type of architecture creating an environment where plants form an essential element of the whole surroundings. Overall design and suitability for location and use; native and introduced materials; balance of plants, materials and constructed elements; harmony, colour, texture, shape; tasteful integration of art elements; high standards of maintenance; site rejuvenation and rehabilitation are all part of a community’s landscaped areas.

TIPS:

• Creative landscaping is becoming very evident on roadway medians, within parks and at entrances to communities.
• Many businesses and homeowners have already experienced the value-added benefits to landscaping around their homes or businesses.
• Consulting a local professional landscaper is always helpful and just one more way to get your entire community involved.

8. Turf and Open Spaces– Quality, naturalization, use of groundcovers and wildflowers, turf management and maintenance are important factors in this category. Fertilization programs, irrigation, conditions of turf on sports fields, athletic parks, cemeteries, homes and businesses are all considered.

TIPS:

• Remember parks and lawns are where people play, relax and enjoy. Maintenance and development of areas like parks and lawns is an integral part of a community’s outdoor recreation.

If you are participating or need more information about Communities in Bloom, contact our Hanna In Bloom Chairperson, Lou Lallier at 854-3504 or 854-2733 or Gwen Snell, Director of Community Services at 854-4433 or visit our website at www.aroundhanna.com/bloom.