District of Sicamous, City of Armstrong double winners at B.C. awards gala; Lumby also a winner

District of Sicamous Mayor Terry Rysz collects one of two awards won by his municipality at the 16th annual Communities in Bloom Provincial Awards gala Saturday in Coquitlam. (Shirley Fowler - photo)

Away from the contest for more than a decade. Only four months to get things together.

It paid off for the City of Armstrong, which was a double award winner Saturday at the provincial Communities in Bloom’s 16th annual awards gala in Coquitlam.

This year there were three 5-Bloom winners: first-time recipient Clinton, as well as Sooke and Hope who have been multi-year recipients of 5-Blooms. As well, 4-Bloom Awards were presented to 100 Mile House, Sicamous and Armstrong, which won for its community involvement through volunteerism.

According to Communities in Bloom, achieving 4- and 5-Blooms is an amazing accomplishment of collaboration from municipal, business, residents and service groups.

“We didn’t approach council with the registration and stuff, and I think we registered in February or something and got our committee together, and everything we did we did in four months,” said Armstrong city councillor and Communities in Bloom chairperson Shirley Fowler.

“It was pretty busy but, boy, we sure had a great group of volunteers with diverse interests in the community. We really showed them.”

Armstrong, which hasn’t participated in the Communities in Bloom awards since 2006, also picked up the Urban Systems Heritage Award for the city’s commitment to the community’s history.

The District of Sicamous was also a double winner, picking up a 4-Bloom honour for its Cenotaph Revitalization/Legion Parking/Event Space Improvements, and won the Equinox Environmental Products Landscape Award.

The Village of Lumby also picked up a Friend honour at the awards banquet for its Lumby Bike Park initiative. The village has begun plans to build a bike park at the western entrance to Lumby.

READ MORE: Lumby pedaling toward bike park

Five B.C. communities – Ashcroft, Abbotsford, Castlegar, Coquitlam and Trail – are national finalists in the 25th edition of Communities In Bloom, and will receive their awards next week in Yarmouth, NS.

@VernonNews

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