Town of Pelham Blooms in Provincial Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 23, 2024 

Pelham, ON - The Town of Pelham has been awarded three blooms in the 2024 Provincial Edition of Communities in Bloom for Ontario. The Town received a special mention for Landscape and was also recognized with an award in the category of Urban Forestry. 

The awards were presented to Pelham staff at the Communities in Bloom Symposium and Awards ceremony on Thursday, September 19, 2024, in Milton, ON. Communities across Ontario participating in the provincial-level competition were evaluated on several criteria, including general community appearance, environmental action, heritage conservation, tree management, landscape, as well as plant and floral displays.

“Communities in Bloom is about so much more than recognizing beautiful landscapes and flowers; it is about receiving unbiased feedback and tangible recommendations that the community and council can use moving forward,” said David Cribbs, Town of Pelham CAO. “It is impressive to see the care and dedication of residents, volunteers and business owners that have gone into making Pelham a great community, which has earned the town the distinction of three blooms.”

The Communities in Bloom program is driven by volunteers, and using a competitive evaluation process, locations can learn best practices to increase community involvement and provide a framework for continuous improvement. In July, volunteers of the Communities in Bloom working group, Town of Pelham Council and staff welcomed the judging team from Communities in Bloom. The two judges, Paul Ronan and Daren Murawski, combined, have over 60 years of experience in landscape, horticulture, and parks and recreation and used their expertise to evaluate Pelham and provide a report with recommendations and actions that can be considered for future implementation. 

The Town of Pelham’s strategic plan includes a vision to be a caring, active and sustainable community and has five priority areas. Within the priority area of environmental and climate adaptation, participating in the Communities in Bloom competition was an action item determined by council.  

Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community involvement and an annual national program that challenges communities to enhance green spaces. Founded in 1995, it provides a structure and platform for communities of all sizes across Canada to come together and work on improving the aesthetics, environmental sustainability, and overall quality of life within their neighbourhoods.

Pelham’s community profile book and additional information about Communities in Bloom may be viewed at www.pelham.ca/inbloom.

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Leah Letford, Communications Specialist | 905-980-6653 | lletford@pelham.ca