Two sets of international eyes are on Coquitlam today (Monday) and tomorrow as the city competes in the Communities in Bloom contest.
Ottawa's Bob Lewis and Bob Ivison of Hoddesdon, England, started their busy tour this morning with a ride on the Evergreen Extension. Their visit concludes Tuesday night with a dinner in the Inspiration Garden.
In total, the judges will have 23 stops — including a helicopter tour of Westwood Plateau — to make their assessment. Coquitlam will be marked in seven categories: community involvement, tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry, landscaping and floral displays.
It's up against three other municipalities in the same international category: Bruges, Belgium; Holland, Michigan; and Wood Buffalo, Alberta.
Kathleen Reinheimer, Coquitlam's parks manager who is escorting the judges on their two-day adventure, said city staff have the municipality in top shape.
Property owners have helped, too: For several weeks, Coquitlam has called on residents and businesses to beautify their gardens — especially with a Canada 150 theme — to show their civic pride.
Connection is key to wowing the judges, Reinheimer said.
"They want to talk to people about what makes our community tick," she said during a private picnic at Blue Mountain Park that included Mayor Richard Stewart, senior managers and non-profit groups. "The city can only make up one-third of the points. The rest comes from the people who give it context and depth."
Coquitlam qualified for the international contest after it won the national award in the over-50,000 population category last year. In 2015, it also clinched the Communities in Bloom provincial accolade.
The international results will be announced in Ottawa in September.
