Recent History – 1999
Nov. 29, 1999
By Barbara Swail for the Peace River Block News
Despite the chill and the covering of snow, Dawson Creek is thinking about gardens. A group representing many sectors of the community recently met recently to review the Communities in Bloom report.
Communities in Bloom is an international program for the improvement of quality of life through green spaces, heritage conservation, community involvement and environmental awareness. Communities from every province of Canada as well as England, Scotland and Ireland participated in the friendly competition for recognition of their efforts to enhance their towns. From Cupids, Newfoundland to Qualicum Beach, B.C., communities ranging in size from hamlets to mega cities (Montreal and Vancouver participated this year) were visited by a panel of judges who marked each community on a variety of criteria.
Dawson Creek received a Special Mention for Heritage Conservation and a general award of three blooms out of a possible five. No community received fewer than three blooms.
The judges were impressed by the “community support for heritage conservation” and noted that the environmental protection and habitat restoration along the Dawson Creek has “increased citizen awareness” of environmental issues. Also singled out for special mention were “the very enthusiastic and involved volunteer group of citizens who have contributed greatly to the first year entry in Communities in Bloom”.
Bev Dahlen of the Horticultural Society chaired the early morning meeting which included representatives of the City of Dawson Creek Council, Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments, the Beautification Committee, several schools, both public and private, the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, Memory Park and the Dawson Creek Restoration Project.
All were gathered to contribute the support of their school, business or organization, as well as their personal commitment to make Dawson Creekâs second entry in this exciting competition a five-bloom success.
The efforts of the Beautification Committee over the last eight years were acknowledged and the feeling was summed up by one member of the group: ” The town is on a roll again and as more people get on board and participate, we will build on the energy and enthusiasm of those who have been working for years to make Dawson Creek a better and better place to live.”