Vision:
To inspire all communities to enhance the quality of life and our environment through people and plants in order to create community pride.
Mission:
We are a volunteer and partnership-driven organization that uses a multi-tiered competitive evaluation process to foster community strength, involvement, and continuous improvement. This is accomplished by nurturing environmental sustainability, enhancements of green spaces, and heritage conservation in cultural and natural environments encompassing municipal, residential, commercial, and institutional spaces.
Values:
Integrity – Respect – Collaboration – Excellence – Accountability
Diversity and Inclusion Statement:
CiB is a volunteer and partnership-driven charitable organization that inspires all communities to enhance the quality of life and our environment through people and plants in order to create community pride. We strive to ensure that we are a collaborative and inclusive organization where all people are welcomed and can feel comfortable, respected, and valued.
Our slogan “Growing Great Places Together,” captures the essence of the program.
History:
Established with the guidance of Britain in Bloom, Tidy Towns of Ireland and Villes et Villages Fleuris de France, Communities in Bloom held its first edition in 1995 and 29 participating municipalities were honoured at the first awards ceremonies on Parliament Hill. The program now includes hundreds of communities across the country and an international challenge involving communities from the United States, Asia, and several European countries that allows participants to compete internationally.
Program:
The program consists of communities receiving information and being evaluated either provincially or nationally by a volunteer jury of trained professionals on the accomplishments of their entire community (municipal, private, corporate and institutional sectors, citizens) on six key criteria: Community Appearance, Environmental Action, Heritage Conservation, Tree Management, Landscape, and Plant & Floral Displays.
Benefits:
Participating communities unanimously agree! Growth in civic pride, positive sense of community, and tangible improvements generated by their efforts are immediately felt. Communities in Bloom is a community program where everyone wins. It is a citizen-led, community economic development program, with a Return on Investment that is measurable, predictable and accountable.
The Alberta Recreation & Parks Association oversees Alberta’s Provincial Edition of the Communities in Bloom initiative.
Information about the national Communities in Bloom program can be found at www.communitiesinbloom.ca.
Getting Started Package 2022
Communities in Bloom Week Proclamation
Karen Snethun
Provincial Coordinator
ksnethun@arpaonline.ca
780-451-1745 ext.108
Communities in Bloom acknowledges the generous support of:
The Alberta Recreation & Parks Association would like to acknowledge the First Nations, the Métis, and all of the people across Alberta who share a history and a deep connection with this land. We dedicate ourselves to moving forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in the spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.