Communities in Bloom Committee wants giant flagpole

 

By Reed Clements

 

Whitecourt’s local Communities in Bloom Committee is looking to put up a large Canadian flag next to Memorial Park, in commemoration of Canada’s 150^th anniversary of Confederation this summer.

 

Communities in Bloom is a national non-profit organization devoted to the beautification of green spaces in communities. It holds an annual nationwide competition between local committees and awards first place to the community with the most elegant green spaces.

 

The Whitecourt chapter of Communities in Bloom won first place in the 2015 competition for cities with 6,001 to 11,000 people. The organization hopes to be competitive again this summer, and sees the flagpole as a potential asset.

 

The Communities in Bloom Committee is considering placing an 80-foot flagpole near Memorial Park, which would display a 15-by-30-inch Canadian flag. The project is estimated to cost nearly $60,000, with Communities in Bloom offering to cover $10,000 from their own reserves.

 

There is some concern that the flagpole’s size would distract from the existing memorial. However, the Communities in Bloom Committee have discussed the project with the Whitecourt Legion.

 

2017 marks the sesquicentennial of Canadian Confederation, and the 52^nd anniversary of the Canadian flag. The flag was developed in the early 1960s in order to give Canada a distinct symbolic identity from the United Kingdom.

 

In addition to participating in the annual nationwide content, Whitecourt’s Communities in Bloom Committee runs several local projects. One of these is a local gardening competition, which is open to anyone who wants to participate.

 

The Committee also runs the Adopt a Banner Program, which aims to improve the aesthetic beauty of Whitecourt by adding banners to Whitecourt streets and neighbourhoods.

 

Other Committee initiatives include the Yellow Fish Road project, Gardening with Native Plants, and a Park Guardian Program.

 

The Committee is always looking for new members of all ages.