The committee for Communities in Bloom extended an invitation to the residents of Chestermere to join them in their last planting project at Millennium Park in their ongoing efforts of the beautification of the town.
Last Friday afternoon a busy little group from the town, parks and community gathered just down from the fire hall at Millennium Park. The last white alyssums were popped into the beds as a final accent in an arrangement showcasing the town colors of blue and white.
The always good natured and supportive Fire Fighters came along for support getting “down into the dirt” while getting lessons in the art of the trowel and sharing pointers with Mayor Patricia Matthews.
Perhaps the most delighted group was the children from ECI Learning Academy who immediately took to the task with great abandon and pride under the direction of Ken Jackson’s enthusiastic Parks Staff.
It was a great wrap up for the flower planting season and Parks greenhouse grower Alison Ciupa looks forward to seeing the bed designs fill out to their potential over the summer.
Chestermere’s volunteer Streetscape Committee which supports this initiative is a group of dedicated individuals who come together with the Parks Department to come up with yearly recommendations for beautifying the landscape of our town.
Kim Reid , a member who was on hand at the planting told of some of their past accomplishments including the banners seen around town, the rose garden along West Chestermere Drive, the lighting down at John Peak Park, and the hockey player silhouettes on the fence at the Recreation Center.
This group also commissioned artist and landscape designer Illarion Gallant to return to create the Wheat Sculpture located at the Bike Path entrance at the south end of West Chestermere Drive. His first piece for the town is the metal sailboat beached in the center bed at Millennium Park.
Under the direction of such passionate individuals and groups the face of Chestermere continues to grow into a showcase we can all be proud of.
Councilor Heather Davies who sits on the Communities in Bloom Committee was on hand and shared her excitement for the future development of Anniversary Park which houses the skateboard park. She said it’s going to be an amazing visual with a redeveloped shoreline, beautiful lighting and the site of the town’s new Cenotaph.
Often when we see only the end result of a vision such as John Peak Park, we don’t realize the amount of time and effort that has gone into getting it off the ground and into completion. What we enjoy now as John Peak Memorial Park Davies said took 20 years to complete in phases having to be done yearly through grant applications.
It is still not too late to get on board with the Bloom project as judging takes place in August and with plant material continually available throughout the season from Cobblestone and Garden Scents, our two local garden centers and supporters of Communities in Bloom.
