West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation Communities In Bloom winners

The District of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation is the winner of the 20,001 – 50,000 population category. They received 5 Blooms – Bronze and a special mention for Westbank First Nation Boucherie Road Beach Improvement during the 2015 National Symposium and Awards Ceremonies in Kamloops, BC. The District of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation competed against Dieppe NB and Mission BC.

Over the summer, trained volunteer judges travelled to participating communities to evaluate the overall contributions of municipal council and departments; industry; businesses and the private sector – including volunteer efforts – in regards to the following criteria: Tidiness, Environmental Action, Heritage Conservation, Urban Forestry, Landscape and Floral Displays.

Following their evaluation, volunteer judges Peter Crawshaw and Lucie Gagné wrote: “The commitment of the Westbank First Nation to the community as a whole is demonstrated in many ways and one of the most dramatic is the improvement of the waterfront area along Boucherie Road. The multi-year project has included the creation of a walkway and beach access, complete with in an attractive park, an efficient irrigation system, and a diverse variety of trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses, to give the site a four season interest. The project also includes work on the infrastructure of Boucherie Road, by installing curb and gutter, sidewalks, new lighting to night sky standards, off road parking and attractive fencing."

Within the actual context of climate changes and environmental concerns, communities involved in the program can be proud of their efforts, which provide real and meaningful environmental solutions and benefit all of society.

Please visit our website at www.communitiesinbloom.ca for a complete list of the results along with an electronic copy of our latest magazine.