Thompson's first year of participation in the provincial Communities in Bloom program saw the city put up a respectable showing, but also showed that there is still plenty of room for improvement in beautifying our streets.
Provincial judges gave Thompson a rating of three blooms out of five - a passing grade, which has to be taken as a positive, but tied with Selkirk for the lowest score given out at the awards ceremony, which was held in Killarney Sept. 10-11.
Nevertheless, it was Thompson's first year participating in the program, and local officials were happy with the results. "For the first time being in a program like this, I think Thompson did a great job," said Roxie Binns, co-chair of the Thompson Communities in Bloom subcommittee. "It speaks to the pride that is alive in this community."
Participating communities were divided into groups based on size. Thompson was in the group for populations greater than 5,000, which also included Brandon, Dauphin, and Winkler - none of whom learned their scores, as they all progressed to the national category, which will have its winners revealed in Halifax in late October.
"We did well, and now we know what we can do," said Mark Matiasek, general manager of Thompson Unlimited. "This achievement in our first effort is remarkable for being popularly perceived as a Northern Manitoba mining community."
The judges were in Thompson on July 28, where they were shown the best of what Thompson had to offer, going around residential neighbourhoods in the morning, and sites such as the recycling plant and public works yard in the afternoon, as part of the judging criteria included evaluating Thompson's waste disposal facilities. There was also a quick tour of Vale on the agenda. In revealing Thompson's results, the judges made special mention of the Spirit Way as a star attraction.
Manitoba Communities in Bloom judged each participating city in eight different categories: tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry, landscape, turf and groundcovers, floral displays, and community involvement. Dauphin, Winnipeg, Birtle, Neepawa, Virden, and Binscarth have all won national awards in the past, while Boissevain won five international awards in 2006.
"For the first time being in a program like this, I think Thompson did a great job," said Mayor Tim Johnston. "The City of Thompson was pleased to have sponsored this designation. As the only Northern community this year to participate and receive this designation, I think it shows to others the quality of life we enjoy."
"Participating in the Communities in Bloom program encourages tidiness and beautification in residential and business areas," said Binns. "It showcases and promoted community spirit, innovative ideas, and environmental sustainability."
The Thompson Communities in Bloom subcommittee, which is part of the Thompson Downtown Revitalization Committee, has already begun looking ahead to next year to try and improve on their 2010 score. Thompson Communities in Bloom also ran the Community Pride contest this summer, which allowed Thompsonites to nominate their neighbours or themselves for having the most beautified properties in the city.
