The Oliver Community Arts Council is pleased to announce the winners in their Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest. The council has run the contest for two years under the auspices of Oliver’s Communities in Bloom committee. The intention of the contest was to help promote public interest in making Oliver a beautiful place to live. We thank the participants for their enthusiasm and community spirit! All efforts at making Oliver more attractive will earn the town points with the judges on July 19 – 20.
Here are the 2011 “Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest” Winners:
Best Overall Residential Yard: Gordon and Kathie Kirby (pictured at left)
Best Outdoor Living Space: George and Anabela Gonclaves
Best Drought Tolerant Landscaping: Ronald and Teresa Maurier
Best Commercial Exterior Visual appeal: Lloyd and Veral Park (The Home of Every Blooming Thing)
Most Improved Site/Property/Project: Bev and Bob Alexander
Honorable Mention: Bernie and Sheila Houghton (Residential)
The winners will be feted at the Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest Awards Luncheon at Covert Farms 12:00 Noon on July 20th.
Awards donated by Future Gardens and presented by the Oliver Community Arts Council. A special thank you to contest judges, the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club. Contest sponsors are OK Photo Lab, Future Gardens, Sherwood Trophies, Fortis BC, and Paw Prints Studio and Gallery (The Art of John Salsnek).
Your Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest committee included Brian Mapplebeck, Jennifer Mapplebeck, and Dot Cranston. We also thank members of the 2010 committee: Stephanie Salsnek and Penny Ruddy.
The arts council has extended the deadline to enter the Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest to Saturday June 18. Those of you who’ve had a slow start in the wet cold garden this year still have time to participate. If you are doing all the work of making your garden look beautiful this spring anyway, why not pick up an entry form and win a chance to get rewarded for all your hard labour? It’s a no-brainer!
The contest, held in conjunction with the Communities in Bloom project, is meant to motivate residential owners as well as commercial, industrial and municipal property managers to spruce up their outdoor space in time for Communities in Bloom judging this summer. It’s a little friendly competition and a way to show your community spirit.
Entry forms are easy to fill out! An entry form for the contest is available right here: Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest 2011 Entry Form or pick one up at one of these local businesses: Future Gardens, Tru Value Hardware, Heather’s Threadz, Tussie Mussies, Sagebrush Nursery, and Riverside Nursery.
Decide what category your “spruced up space” best fits into. Pick one of:
** Residential Yard or Garden: Only have time to do the front lawn? or the rock garden? You can choose just a section of your property to enter in the contest!
** Outdoor Living Area: This might be a constructed deck, patio, water feature, or pool area. Don’t worry if the rest of your property is below par. Show off your outdoor reno!
** Xeriscaped Garden: If you’ve used drought tolerant plants and materials, this category is just for you. Congratulations for thinking water-smart!
** Commercial, Municipal or Industrial property: This category is for all non-residential entries. Planters, container gardens, landscaping and other attractive features to beautify your workplace all qualify.
Email your entry form by June 18 to olivergardencontest @ hotmail.ca , or email olivercac @ gmail.com for other entry arrangements. And don’t worry — you can keep on beautifying up to the beginning of July when judging by the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club takes place.
The Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest is a Communities in Bloom project brought to you by the Oliver Community Arts Council, and supported by the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club.
Contest sponsors are OK Photo Lab, Future Gardens, Sherwood Trophies, Fortis BC, and Paw Prints Studio and Gallery (The Art of John Salsnek).
The arts council has extended the deadline to enter the Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest to Saturday June 18. Those of you who’ve had a slow start in the wet cold garden this year still have time to participate. If you are doing all the work of making your garden look beautiful this spring anyway, why not pick up an entry form and win a chance to get rewarded for all your hard labour? It’s a no-brainer!
The contest, held in conjunction with the Communities in Bloom project, is meant to motivate residential owners as well as commercial, industrial and municipal property managers to spruce up their outdoor space in time for Communities in Bloom judging this summer. It’s a little friendly competition and a way to show your community spirit.
Entry forms are easy to fill out! An entry form for the contest is available right here: Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest 2011 Entry Form or pick one up at one of these local businesses: Future Gardens, Tru Value Hardware, Heather’s Threadz, Tussie Mussies, Sagebrush Nursery, and Riverside Nursery.
Decide what category your “spruced up space” best fits into. Pick one of:
** Residential Yard or Garden: Only have time to do the front lawn? or the rock garden? You can choose just a section of your property to enter in the contest!
** Outdoor Living Area: This might be a constructed deck, patio, water feature, or pool area. Don’t worry if the rest of your property is below par. Show off your outdoor reno!
** Xeriscaped Garden: If you’ve used drought tolerant plants and materials, this category is just for you. Congratulations for thinking water-smart!
** Commercial, Municipal or Industrial property: This category is for all non-residential entries. Planters, container gardens, landscaping and other attractive features to beautify your workplace all qualify.
Email your entry form by June 18 to olivergardencontest @ hotmail.ca , or email olivercac @ gmail.com for other entry arrangements. And don’t worry — you can keep on beautifying up to the beginning of July when judging by the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club takes place.
The Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest is a Communities in Bloom project brought to you by the Oliver Community Arts Council, and supported by the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club.
Contest sponsors are OK Photo Lab, Future Gardens, Sherwood Trophies, Fortis BC, and Paw Prints Studio and Gallery (The Art of John Salsnek).
Garden looking sad and brown? Take a photo! Take several. Ugly yard? Capture it on film! (Visit OK Photo for some great service and equipment.)
Before you rake, weed, shovel, or plant this spring, take a photo of your space looking its worst. Go on now, we’ll wait……
OK, done? Now, go to town for some seeds, seedlings, shrubbery, edging, plant containers, garden tools, paint, fencing, or xeriscaping supplies. Get your property looking its best. We suggest contest sponsor Future Gardens! Or if you’re adding or renovating a water feature, we suggest arts council member Rod’s Aqua Pools Ltd.
Now take another photo. Doesn’t it look great? Take some more shots. Don’t forget the one of you smiling and holding the shovel, looking grimy but proud. (You look fantastic, by the way.)
Decide what category your “spruced up space” best fits into:
Is yours a residential yard or garden? Outdoor Living Area? (deck, patio, water feature, etc) Did you just xeriscape using drought tolerant plants and materials? Are you a commercial, municipal or industrial property?
Email your entry form by May 31 to olivergardencontest @ hotmail.ca , drop it off at Paw Prints Studio and Gallery 148 Carr Crescent, Willowbrook, mail to the Oliver Community Arts Council P.O. Box 1711, Oliver BC V0H 1T0 or email olivercac @ gmail.com for other entry arrangements. And don’t worry — you can keep on beautifying up to the last two weeks of June when judging by the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club takes place.
Entry forms are also available at Future Gardens, Heather’s Threadz Sewing Centre, Sundance Video and True Value Hardware.
The Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest is a Communities in Bloom project brought to you by the Oliver Community Arts Council, and supported by the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club.
Contest sponsors are OK Photo Lab, Future Gardens, Sherwood Trophies, Fortis BC, and Paw Prints Studio and Gallery (The Art of John Salsnek).
Garden looking sad and brown? Take a photo! Take several. Ugly yard? Capture it on film! (Visit OK Photo for some great service and equipment.)
Before you rake, weed, shovel, or plant this spring, take a photo of your space looking its worst. Go on now, we’ll wait……
OK, done? Now, go to town for some seeds, seedlings, shrubbery, edging, plant containers, garden tools, paint, fencing, or xeriscaping supplies. Get your property looking its best. We suggest contest sponsor Future Gardens! Or if you’re adding or renovating a water feature, we suggest arts council member Rod’s Aqua Pools Ltd.
Now take another photo. Doesn’t it look great? Take some more shots. Don’t forget the one of you smiling and holding the shovel, looking grimy but proud. (You look fantastic, by the way.)
Decide what category your “spruced up space” best fits into:
Is yours a residential yard or garden? Outdoor Living Area? (deck, patio, water feature, etc) Did you just xeriscape using drought tolerant plants and materials? Are you a commercial, municipal or industrial property?
Email your entry form by May 31 to olivergardencontest @ hotmail.ca , drop it off at Paw Prints Studio and Gallery 148 Carr Crescent, Willowbrook, mail to the Oliver Community Arts Council P.O. Box 1711, Oliver BC V0H 1T0 or email olivercac @ gmail.com for other entry arrangements. And don’t worry — you can keep on beautifying up to the last two weeks of June when judging by the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club takes place.
Entry forms are also available at Future Gardens, Heather’s Threadz Sewing Centre, Sundance Video and True Value Hardware.
The Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest is a Communities in Bloom project brought to you by the Oliver Community Arts Council, and supported by the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club.
Contest sponsors are OK Photo Lab, Future Gardens, Sherwood Trophies, Fortis BC, and Paw Prints Studio and Gallery (The Art of John Salsnek).
submitted by Betty Lou Trimmer Bahnsen
Communities in Bloom Co-Chair
At the BC Communities in Bloom Conference held in Hope BC on September 24 – 26, Oliver was awarded “Four out of Five Blooms”, recognizing a year of intensive landscaping and cleanup across the district. This is an astounding feat, as this is only Oliver’s first of two years in the provincial Communities in Bloom programme. This date also marks the anniversary of the idea to have Oliver participate in Communities in Bloom. What a way to commemorate a years work with four lovely Blooms!
The Oliver Community Arts Council is basking in the reflected glow. The arts council was asked by the Communities in Bloom (CIB) committee to provide some motivation and excitement among Oliver residents by organizing a competition to boost interest in the CIB programme. In the spring of 2010, the OCAC’s “Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest” was off and running. A small group of arts council members solicited sponsors, organized several categories for the competition, determined criteria for each award category, arranged for judging by the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club, and designed and presented the awards. Thanks to Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest chair Penny Ruddy, and committee Stephanie Salsnek, Brian and Jennifer Mapplebeck, and Dot Cranston for their hard work! Thanks to John Salsnek and Linda Blaschuk for designing the charming trophy. Although we were only a part of the overall cleanup efforts across the municipality and regional district, the OCAC-sponsored contest got competitive juices flowing, and gave incentive to residents and businesses to get involved.
Initially, the Oliver Communities in Bloom committee had planned to be in the non-competitive category in the first year thus, using the opportunity of the judges’ visit and evaluation to learn and to build on their adjudication for the following year, at which time Oliver would enter into the competitive category. However, at the final meeting with the judges during their July 2010 visit to Oliver, it was the judges’ suggestion that we upgrade to the competitive category. They indicated that the community had done very well and would gain more public recognition with an award, in addition to reaping the benefits of an evaluation. The Oliver Communities in Bloom committee followed the judges’ advice — with full awareness that most communities take several years to attain the full Five Blooms. It therefore came as a complete surprise that Oliver was acclaimed with Four Blooms after only one year.
The achievement of the “Four Bloom” status and the community pride associated with this award could not have taken place without the total involvement of the Oliver community. We are thank ful for the support of individual participants , our many partners and sponsors, the local politicians (Town and Area C), the business community who gave so generously in kind, the Osoyoos Indian Band, the Bahvsagar Sikh Temple Council, the many service and cultural groups, the media, the untiring efforts of the special employees of the Town of Oliver administrative staff and Public Works, together with the happy band of Oliver Communities in Bloom volunteers which brought about this great result.
OLIVER, WE ARE A BLOOMIN’ GOOD COMMUNITY!
Photo Credit: Patrick Reid
****************
Want more information about the Communities in Bloom program? Here are some excerpts from the provincial CIB website (http://www.bccommunitiesinbloom.ca/)
All participating communities in either the national or provincial contests receive a rating of one to five ‘blooms’. All participants are promoted within BC and nationally, and are invited to attend the provincial Awards Ceremony which takes place in the fall, hosted by a different community each year. A top five bloom rating may result in an invitation to participate in the following year’s national program.
In addition to their rating, each BC CiB participant receives a comprehensive report, prepared by the judges (all qualified and experienced horticulturalists and specialists). This report reviews the particular features and projects in each of the eight criteria areas that the community has undertaken and presented. These criteria include tidiness, environmental awareness, community involvement, natural and cultural heritage conservation, tree/urban forest management, landscaped areas, floral displays, turf and groundcover. The judges offer constructive hints and recommendations for the following year.
Of course, all participants are winners with respect to increased civic pride, preservation of natural and architectural heritage, economic development, ehanced property values, decreased vandalism, improved environmental awareness, business development, increased tourism appeal, corporate relocations, new development, investment and general economic activity based on being more attractive, liveable communities!
submitted by Betty Lou Trimmer Bahnsen
Communities in Bloom Co-Chair
At the BC Communities in Bloom Conference held in Hope BC on September 24 – 26, Oliver was awarded “Four out of Five Blooms”, recognizing a year of intensive landscaping and cleanup across the district. This is an astounding feat, as this is only Oliver’s first of two years in the provincial Communities in Bloom programme. This date also marks the anniversary of the idea to have Oliver participate in Communities in Bloom. What a way to commemorate a years work with four lovely Blooms!
The Oliver Community Arts Council is basking in the reflected glow. The arts council was asked by the Communities in Bloom (CIB) committee to provide some motivation and excitement among Oliver residents by organizing a competition to boost interest in the CIB programme. In the spring of 2010, the OCAC’s “Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest” was off and running. A small group of arts council members solicited sponsors, organized several categories for the competition, determined criteria for each award category, arranged for judging by the Oliver Heirloom Garden Club, and designed and presented the awards. Thanks to Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest chair Penny Ruddy, and committee Stephanie Salsnek, Brian and Jennifer Mapplebeck, and Dot Cranston for their hard work! Thanks to John Salsnek and Linda Blaschuk for designing the charming trophy. Although we were only a part of the overall cleanup efforts across the municipality and regional district, the OCAC-sponsored contest got competitive juices flowing, and gave incentive to residents and businesses to get involved.
Initially, the Oliver Communities in Bloom committee had planned to be in the non-competitive category in the first year thus, using the opportunity of the judges’ visit and evaluation to learn and to build on their adjudication for the following year, at which time Oliver would enter into the competitive category. However, at the final meeting with the judges during their July 2010 visit to Oliver, it was the judges’ suggestion that we upgrade to the competitive category. They indicated that the community had done very well and would gain more public recognition with an award, in addition to reaping the benefits of an evaluation. The Oliver Communities in Bloom committee followed the judges’ advice — with full awareness that most communities take several years to attain the full Five Blooms. It therefore came as a complete surprise that Oliver was acclaimed with Four Blooms after only one year.
The achievement of the “Four Bloom” status and the community pride associated with this award could not have taken place without the total involvement of the Oliver community. We are thank ful for the support of individual participants , our many partners and sponsors, the local politicians (Town and Area C), the business community who gave so generously in kind, the Osoyoos Indian Band, the Bahvsagar Sikh Temple Council, the many service and cultural groups, the media, the untiring efforts of the special employees of the Town of Oliver administrative staff and Public Works, together with the happy band of Oliver Communities in Bloom volunteers which brought about this great result.
OLIVER, WE ARE A BLOOMIN’ GOOD COMMUNITY!
Photo Credit: Patrick Reid
****************
Want more information about the Communities in Bloom program? Here are some excerpts from the provincial CIB website (http://www.bccommunitiesinbloom.ca/)
All participating communities in either the national or provincial contests receive a rating of one to five ‘blooms’. All participants are promoted within BC and nationally, and are invited to attend the provincial Awards Ceremony which takes place in the fall, hosted by a different community each year. A top five bloom rating may result in an invitation to participate in the following year’s national program.
In addition to their rating, each BC CiB participant receives a comprehensive report, prepared by the judges (all qualified and experienced horticulturalists and specialists). This report reviews the particular features and projects in each of the eight criteria areas that the community has undertaken and presented. These criteria include tidiness, environmental awareness, community involvement, natural and cultural heritage conservation, tree/urban forest management, landscaped areas, floral displays, turf and groundcover. The judges offer constructive hints and recommendations for the following year.
Of course, all participants are winners with respect to increased civic pride, preservation of natural and architectural heritage, economic development, ehanced property values, decreased vandalism, improved environmental awareness, business development, increased tourism appeal, corporate relocations, new development, investment and general economic activity based on being more attractive, liveable communities!
The Oliver Community Arts Council welcomes your submission for poster artwork to advertise the Fall Art Show & Sale, October 2 -3 , 2010. The theme for the 2010 Fall Art Show & Sale is “Those Were the Days”. The poster image may be a photo, a painting, or other 2-D representation, but must be your own work, and presented in 8 x 10″ format in portrait layout. The image must represent the theme but not include any wording.
The deadline for poster submissions is April 1, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. The winner will be announced during Arts and Culture Week, April 18 – 24, and displayed at Handworks Gallery. The image will be used on posters, flyers, newspaper and other advertising, in the weeks leading up to the Fall Art Show & Sale.
The winner will receive a prize basket valued at $250, and will be honoured at the Fall Art Show & Sale reception on the evening of October 2, where the winning submission will be featured.
The Oliver Community Arts Council reserves the right to crop, or otherwise adjust your image for poster suitability and quality, and to use the winning image and the name of its artist in all its advertising for the 2010 Fall Art Show & Sale.
Submit your poster contest image to
Handworks Gallery,
P.O. Box 271, 35648 97th Street
Oliver, BC
V0H 1T0
For more information about the “Those Were the Days” Poster Contest or the Fall Art Show & Sale, contact Handworks Gallery ( 250-498-6388) or the OCAC at olivercac@gmail.com.
Poster contest entry forms available on this website by looking under “Forms” at the top of the page. They are also at Handworks Gallery on Main St, Oliver BC or by emailing olivercac@gmail.com.
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Send an email to olivercac@gmail.com
Best Overall Residential Yard: Gordon and Kathie Kirby (pictured at left)
At the BC Communities in Bloom Conference held in Hope BC on September 24 – 26, Oliver was awarded “Four out of Five Blooms”, recognizing a year of intensive landscaping and cleanup across the district. This is an astounding feat, as this is only Oliver’s first of two years in the provincial Communities in Bloom programme. This date also marks the anniversary of the idea to have Oliver participate in Communities in Bloom. What a way to commemorate a years work with four lovely Blooms!
