COQUITLAM, B.C., October 5, 2023 – Coquitlam was recognized for several awards at the 2023 Communities in Bloom (CiB) National and International Symposium and Awards, including a rating of 5 Blooms – Gold with special recognition for Immigrant Link Centre Society and three Outstanding Achievement Awards for Environmental Action, Tree Management and the Plants Love You contest.
At the national awards ceremony, held in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo, Alberta this past weekend, Coquitlam was once again recognized for its achievements in community appearance, environmental action, heritage conservation, tree management, landscape, and plant and floral displays. The City of Coquitlam received three Outstanding Achievement Awards, including:
- The Environmental Action Award from the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association for efforts in environmental action, including climate action, water conservation and sustainable initiatives.
- The Tree Management Award, acknowledging the City's dedication to preserving and nurturing green, enhancing aesthetic appeal and contributing to the overall well-being of the environment and residents.
- The Plants Love You Award, recognizing Coquitlam's Inspiration Garden and new Garden Walk at Town Centre Park, celebrates the City’s dedication to creating beautiful spaces that foster a deep connection between residents and the plant world.
In addition, the Immigrant Link Centre Society received a special mention for the important volunteer-based program that helps improve access to healthy food for immigrants and refugees by gathering and distributing useable, unsold food from grocery stores to the community at no cost.
These latest awards and recognition add to Coquitlam’s past wins at the provincial, national and international levels of CiB, a friendly competition between cities that encourages civic pride, beautification and environmental responsibility.
2023 Award Builds on City’s Legacy of Award-Winning Programs
Coquitlam has a long history of championing volunteerism in the community, with a number of programs that continue to benefit the community. This year’s CiB award submission also highlighted opportunities for the public to enhance community and environment, including volunteer stewardship programs that encourage residents to keep public spaces clean and litter-free, Park Spark public engagement programs, the City’s community garden program, and Coquitlam Munch, with edible planters maintained by Austin Heights businesses.
Community Engagement
As part of its annual CiB participation, Coquitlam plans a variety of community engagement and improvement activities each year through a Coquitlam in Bloom campaign.
This year’s campaign focused on promoting pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, as well as activities that encouraged residents to get outdoors and beautify the community by planting gardens through the Proud to Grow Here contest. Activities for 2023 included pop-up family and teen events in Coquitlam parks, Park Spark volunteer activities, fun fact signage and fence-panel painting.
About Communities in Bloom
Communities in Bloom is a Canadian volunteer and partnership-driven non-profit organization that uses a multi-tiered competitive evaluation process to foster community strength, involvement and continuous improvement. This is accomplished by nurturing environmental sustainability, enhancements of green spaces, and heritage conservation, in cultural and natural environments encompassing municipal, residential, commercial, and institutional spaces. For more information about Communities in Bloom, visit CommunitiesInBloom.ca. Coquitlam’s participation is outlined at coquitlam.ca/CIB.
Media contact:
Kathleen Reinheimer
Manager Parks
604-927-6300
parks@coquitlam.ca
We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num) word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-KWET-lum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ (kat-zee), and other Coast Salish Peoples.