Communities in Bloom judges visit

The comments from Communities in Bloom (CIB) judge Kirsten Connor brought beaming smiles to the CIB committee in Yarmouth at a Town Hall luncheon last Wednesday.

Connor, along with fellow judge Tom Connor, was taken on a drive-by tour of the town as well as a walking tour.

The Connor’s will be assessing how the town rates in eight categories:

Tidiness, Environmental Awareness, Community Involvement, Natural and Cultural Heritage Conservation, Tree/Urban Forest Management, Landscaped Areas, Floral Displays, Turf and Groundcovers.

This is the third year for Yarmouth to participate in Communities in Bloom. Last year it scored five out of a possible five blooms in the national program. Kentville, which also had five blooms, took home top billing with a slightly higher numerical score.

Yarmouth CIB chairperson Esther Dares says their goal is not to win, but to raise Yarmouth’s score.

“There are only a few areas that need to be raised,” she said.

“Every year we do a community profile so we try to make them (judges) aware of things we think will move forward.”

Dare pointed out newly installed bicycle racks and waste receptacles as improvements in the environmental category and says she has high hopes that an “active transportation study” on the agenda will be approved by council in order to provide even more progress.