ST. PAUL – From July 25 to 27, St. Paul welcomed the two judges from the National Communities in Bloom (CiB) organization.
The judges, Christine Isaac and Colleen Stockford, came to assess the town for the national competition. According to Isaac, the judges assess the town in six categories - community appearance, environmental action, heritage conservation, tree management, landscape, and plant and floral display.
Isaac said she was excited to check out the amount of public art in town.
“It's not something that is so common when you go into different communities. So, I've been certainly impressed with the amount of attention and focus that the community places on that. And it’s clearly a value of the community to have that cultural focus here,” she said.
Asked if the rainy and windy weather would affect the evaluation on July 26, Isaac said it would not.
“We obviously have an understanding that [weather is] one thing that the community cannot control. So that doesn't bother me at all.”
Isaac thanked the community for welcoming her and Stockford. She acknowledged that some members of the community may feel nervous at the prospect of judges coming to evaluate the town, “But they really rolled out the red carpet for us.”
“We are so truly grateful for all the generosity that we’ve been shown,” she said. “We’ve just very much enjoyed our time here.”
She said St. Paul is beautiful and she felt immediately welcomed into the community.
“It is truly a hidden gem here in Alberta.”
Penny Fox is a member of the local CiB committee. She said that although CiB may be a competition, it is also an opportunity to find ways to better the community. And finding those opportunities sometimes requires having a fresh set of eyes to evaluate the community, said Fox.
The judges have extensive experience and expertise, and after their visit, they will present the Town with a report about what they saw, including recommendations on areas that could be improved.
“They have been in many communities across Canada. And so, they hear and see things all over the place,” said Fox. They bring that expertise, the knowledge, and all the wisdom they learned into the community.
Fox adds, “This is absolutely about finding ways to improve the community. No community wants to be stagnant. Any community always needs new ideas, and every community needs new energy – and the judges bring all that to us.”
The CiB competition is also an opportunity for the community to showcase the things that have been accomplished, according to Fox, which the judges can also share with other communities.
The judges’ visit included a stop at the St. Paul Community Gardens, Lagasse Park, the Farmer’s Market at Portage College, Vertical Roots, and the St. Paul and District Arts Foundation.
St. Paul is competing in the 30th edition of the Communities in Bloom National Population category, the second national level CiB competition it competed since 2018.
The results will be announced later this fall during the 2024 National Symposium and Awards Ceremony.
