Essex Town Wins National Communities In Bloom Award

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The Town of Essex and its Communities in Bloom committee were pretested with the Outstanding Achievement Award for community involvement at the 2018 Communities in Bloom National/International Symposium and Awards Ceremonies in Strathcona County, Alberta on September 29th.

The “Home Hardware Community Involvement Award” is given annually to a community which demonstrates achievements in encouraging community engagement through Communities in Bloom and recognizes efforts to involve volunteers and participants from all four urban centres.

The local committee works with various groups representing a wide range of community involvement, such as the Essex Centre BIA and Colchester Garden Club. The group also hosts events, such as the annual Legacy Tree Planting program, which serve as a catalyst for community building and local pride.

The award made particular mention of a recent partnership with the Ontario Purple Martin Association which saw the establishment of birdhouses for the at-risk species.

“As a municipality made up of four distinct centres, Communities in Bloom has served as a common thread that has linked the Town of Essex, and its citizens, together,” said Doug Sweet, Director of Community Service. “The conservation effort by Communities in Bloom is certainly an example of how a group of dedicated individuals can assist in the recovery of a declining species and it is just one of the many ways that participating in Communities in Bloom has brought our community closer together.”

As the winner of the category, the Town of Essex will welcome Canadian Gardening Guru, Mark Cullen, for a day-long visit. Cullen is a spokesperson for Home Hardware Canada and Order of Canada honoree known for his contributions to promoting and developing horticulture education across the country.

The Town was also a finalist in the Environmental Action category, which recognized the ongoing environmental improvements at Colchester Harbour Marina.