Saskatchewan Communities in Bloom has recognized the City of Moose Jaw for its Tree of Significance initiative, as part of the provincial organization’s yearly efforts to honour communities that beautify their area.
The Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association (SPRA) sponsors the program and announced recently that Moose Jaw was one of seven communities to receive a special recognition award. According to a news release, the SPRA created the special awards due to the pandemic and the fact many evaluations of community beautification efforts had to be cancelled.
Every year city hall invites residents to nominate trees that carry special qualities because of historical significance, uniqueness, age, size, or shape. Trees nominated need to be accessible to the public, such as in a public or institutional space — parks or schools, for example — or the front or side yards of residential homes.
The 2020 Tree of Significance was awarded to a large weeping birch in the front yard of 1515 Spadina Street. The municipality created the program in 2011 as a celebration of the inaugural National Tree Day in Canada.
Provincial winners
The SPRA announced in the news release that it had recognized 22 participants in this year’s Communities in Bloom (CiB), along with the seven new special recognition awards. Through “creative ideas and methods,” CiB participants continued to enhance their communities in the areas of tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry, landscape, and floral displays.
In the Moose Jaw area, the Town of Craik was recognized for its community spirit for developing four community recreational areas. Through the mobilization of leadership, volunteers and business support, the community took on the projects, which allow for safe outdoor recreation during the pandemic. It has also resulted in a community partnership with Story Trail, completed in collaboration with the Craik Branch of Palliser Regional Library.
Meanwhile, Joann Girardin of Assiniboia was awarded second place in a photo contest. The SPRA chose her photo since it recognized a public space, planting variety, originality of landscape, and general tidiness.
Visit www.communitiesinbloom.ca for more information.
