As the city’s still-lush flower baskets were removed from their streetlight perches last week, volunteers celebrated the close of another successful season.
The City of Trail was awarded a 5-Bloom rating at the silver level, with a special mention for its graffiti-removal “Tag Team” during the 2024 National/International Symposium and Awards Ceremonies held in Charlottetown, PEI, last month.
Trail participated in the Circle of Excellence category, evaluated by Communities in Bloom (CiB) judges on criteria such as Community Appearance, Environmental Action, Heritage Conservation, Tree Management, Landscape, and Plant and Floral Displays.
Judges Tina Liu and Leslie Cornell praised the collective efforts of the municipal council, local businesses, and dedicated volunteers.
In their evaluation report, Liu and Cornell highlighted Trail’s 20-year “Tag Team” program, led by longtime volunteer Glenn Wallace.
“The ‘tags’ refer to graffiti commonly found in covered walkways on steep hills and on rocks in Gyro Park,” the judges noted. “Quick removal is essential, as graffiti attracts more graffiti.”
The “Tag Team” offers a reporting link on its website, allowing residents to promptly report graffiti.
This summer, they tackled cleaning graffiti off the Victoria Street Bridge, coordinating with the department of highways for permissions and receiving donations of paint and cleaning supplies from local businesses.
The judges commended the program, emphasizing its reliance on the support of the City of Trail and CiB volunteers.
“Within the actual context of climate changes and environmental concerns, communities involved in the program can be proud of their efforts, which provide real and meaningful environmental solutions and benefit all of society,” the judges wrote.
CiB’s bloom rating, which ranges from 1 to 5 Blooms, reflects the total evaluation score. At the national level, scores above 82 percent qualify for 5 Blooms, with silver awarded between 87 and 89.9 percent.
Looking ahead to the new year, Communities in Bloom (CiB) has announced its 2025 theme: Edible Gardens.
“As food insecurity continues to impact communities, this theme highlights the many benefits of growing your own food,” CiB explained.
From vegetable and herb gardens to fruit-bearing plants like berries, tomatoes, and peppers, edible gardens offer a meaningful way to promote sustainability, support local ecosystems, and strengthen community bonds, the nonprofit added.
“By nurturing these spaces, we nurture ourselves and our environment.”
Rachael Brown, from Trail CiB, shared that volunteers will be developing the 2025 bed and pot designs with the new theme in mind over the coming weeks.
“For next year, we’re also incorporating more drought-tolerant annuals and perennials to reduce watering needs, as well as selecting more plants that can be overwintered,” she added.
Founded in 2002 as a council committee, the Trail CiB program has since transformed the city’s appearance.
“Since then, we have shown the world that it is possible to come out of 100 years of mining and smelting pollution and make our city a beautiful, clean place to live, work and play,” Trail CiB states.
Today, the committee is chaired by Dan Rodlie, with Rachael Brown managing the floral program and volunteer efforts.
Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization that promotes community strength and environmental sustainability through a multi-tiered competitive evaluation.
Its mission emphasizes green spaces, heritage conservation, and fostering vibrant communities.
Learn more at communitiesinbloom.ca.
