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Maple Creek, Brooks earn national Communities in Bloom awards

Sep 18, 2017 | 11:32 AM

OTTAWA, ON- Two communities to the east and west of Medicine Hat have earned national recognition for their landfills.

Both the Town of Maple Creek, in Saskatchewan, and Brooks, Alberta, have received awards from Communities in Bloom (CIB), a national organization that judges communities across Canada. CIB rates communities in the following categories: Tidiness, Environmental Action, Heritage Conservation, Urban Forestry, Landscape and Floral Displays.

CIB is a non-profit, and is focused on civic pride, environmental responsibility, beautification through community involvement, and a focus on green spaces.

To the west in Brooks, the town has been awarded a five Blooms- Silver rating, as well as a special mention for their recycling centre’s efficiency. The City of Brooks participated in the International Challenge (Medium) category along with Beaumont AB Canada, Dauphin MB Canada, Grado Italy, Niagara-on-the-Lake ON Canada, Opatija Croatia and Rosemère QC Canada.

According to the two volunteer judges who made the decision, Berta Briggs and Bernadette Solon, Brooks ‘stands proudly as a hub community’ between Calgary and Medicine Hat.
“Maintaining a very clean and tidy city is clearly important to all residents in Brooks,” wrote the judges.

“The Newell Recycling Association makes it a very important player in keeping Brooks so tidy.  The Centre collects curbside plus serves as a drop off point for material to be recycled.  The site also serves as a composting facility.  The City accepts yard and garden waste by way of compost bins that are picked up weekly.   All the green waste is composted, screened and tested to be given back to residents and to be used by the City”.
 

As for Maple Creek, the community won in the “Up to 4,500” population category, recieving a five-Bloom bronze rating, and a special mention for their “Innovative Landfill”. The town was competing against Bruderheim, Hanna and Valhalla Centre in Alberta, as well as Merrickville-Wolford ON, and Windsor NS.

The two volunteer judges, Lucy Chang and Louise Dumouchel, wrote that the town’s landfill had undergone a transformation.
 

“Under the diligent and committed care of the new caretaker, the landfill presents a pristine business front with neat compartments of sorted garbage and a friendly entrance with potted plants, birdhouses atop fence posts, recycled ornaments, a tempting 3-hole golf course, and seasonal lighting,” wrote the judges.

 

“What a contribution to CiB’s beautification program!  For the residents of Maple Creek, bringing their refuse, waste materials and recyclable or re-usable items to the landfill has become a pleasing and gratifying task.”
 

The grading system used by the CIB breaks down in the following ways; 0 to 55 %=1 Bloom    56 to 63 %=2 Blooms   64 to 72 %=3 Blooms   73 to 81 %=4 Blooms   82 % and over=5 Blooms
 
There are four (4) levels of 5 Blooms exclusive to the National and International Edition:
5 Blooms: 82 to 83.9%         Bronze: 84 to 86.9%        Silver: 87 to 89.9%             Gold:   90% and over.