Craig Gilbert | [email protected]
Welcome to Bloomberg. Population you.
Once again Jasper has put its best foot forward on the world stage as it welcomes judges from the 2018 Communities in Bloom challenge.
The mountain town is in the running in the International Challenge at the medium level with Lewes, Delaware, Killarney-Turtle Mountain, Manitoba, Pincher Creek, Stettler and Novi Vinodolski, Croatia.
The judges, Larry Hall from Buena Vista Saskatchewan and Bernadette Solon from Mullingar, Ireland will be going over Jasper with a fine-toothed comb from July 11 to 13.
The town said in a press release it sure would be swell if locals tidied up their properties before they arrive. A 鈥渢hrilled鈥� Coun. Jenna McGrath is on the local CiB committee.
鈥淥ur community is proud to showcase all of the hard work done locally to promote mountain life, tidiness, respect and care towards green initiatives, community involvement and volunteerism,鈥� she said Monday.
The national and international results of the 24th annual competition will be announced in Strathcona County, Alberta from Sept. 26-29.
Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility, beautification and to improving quality of life through community participation and a national challenge.
It鈥檚 about greening through environmental, natural heritage conservation and horticultural actions that involve citizens, businesses, institutions, and municipalities. The program is focused on environmental stewardship through enhancement of green spaces.
To support the educational aspect of its activities, the organization established the Communities in Bloom Foundation, a registered charity dedicated to funding, developing, and disseminating education and awareness on the value, improvement, importance and sustainable development of green spaces and natural environment in Canada.
鈥淲ithin the context of climate change and environmental concerns, all those involved in the Communities in Bloom program can be proud of their efforts which provide real and meaningful environmental solutions and benefit all of society,鈥� national chair Bob Lewis said in a release. 鈥淭he commitment of local, provincial and national volunteers, the support of elected officials and staff of municipalities, the dedication of our volunteer judges, staff and organizations along with the contribution of our sponsors and partners are helping to make our communities cleaner, greener, more environmentally sound and better places in which to live, work and to visit.鈥�
Jasper was last recognized by the CiB program in 2016.
This will be Jasper鈥檚 fifth year competing on the international stage. The town won at the national level in 2012 and the provincial level in 2010. Jasper has won a number of 鈥渇ive bloom鈥� awards at the international level, and earned 鈥渂ronze鈥� status with a high score in 2016.
Jasper鈥檚 overall score was 841.5 out of a possible 1,000 points across six criteria: tidiness (127 out of 150), environmental action (125.5 out of 150), heritage conservation (129 out of 150), urban forestry (168 out of 175), landscape (168 out of 200) and floral displays (145 out of 175).
To receive five blooms, a community has to tally at least 820 points. Bronze calls for no fewer than 840.
If Jasper wants gold in 2018, 900 is the number.
