Two judges will see the best of Coquitlam this week for the national Communities in Bloom competition.
Landscape architect Richard Daigneault of Ottawa and Stan Kochanoff, a horticulturalist and landscape consultant from Nova Scotia, will tour Coquitlam's highlights on Wednesday and Thursday — from Burquitlam to Burke Mountain.
City parks manager Kathleen Reinheimer will show the guests the Coquitlam Crunch, Centennial Rose Garden, Mackin Park, Heritage Square, Riverview Hospital grounds, Como Lake Park, Robinson cemetery, northeast parks, the new Town Centre Park Plaza and the Inspiration Garden, among other sites.
And along the way, they will have a chance to speak to community leaders with the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society as well as firefighters, Hoy Creek hatchery volunteers, gardeners and staff at Associated Labels, a "green" business. City workers will also perform a "tractor dance" at the Town Centre Park Plaza, she said.
City staff and a Communities in Bloom committee have been working for months to prepare for the display. In June, city council granted $52,000 for Coquitlam's entry that will be assessed on tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry, landscaping and floral exhibits.
Other city projects recently rolled out for the competition include: Coquitlam Munch (a public produce garden along Ridgeway and Austin avenues); a photo contest; the Coquitlam Rose (unveiled at the rose show this month); and little toy libraries for parks.
The city's profile book for the judges includes a message from Mayor Richard Stewart, a list of Community in Bloom partners and a description of recycling and composting in bear-friendly territory. Images of public art, nature trails, recreational amenities and volunteerism are also prominent.
Last year, Coquitlam earned a mark of 88.68% — the top score in the province for a municipality of its size; it also took a special mention for heritage conservation; however, this year, Coquitlam's only competitor is St. John's, NL, in the over 50,000 population category.
Reinheimer, a former Communities in Bloom judge, said Coquitlam has an edge as it's marking its 125th year and new infrastructure has been put in for the celebrations such as the Town Centre Park Plaza. As well, construction around the Evergreen Line — due to open in early 2017 — is nearly complete.
"This is an opportunity for the community to express its pride," Reinheimer said. "It's not so much a competition as it is about being the most engaged community."
Last month, the city asked home and business owners to plant dahlias in time for the Communities in Bloom judging and to tie into the 125th party. The dahlia is Coquitlam's flower of the year.
Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit group that focuses on civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification.
