Please visit the National Communities in Bloom website at
www.communitiesinbloom.ca for more information.

Communities in Bloom is a non-profit Canadian organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community participation and the challenge of a friendly competition.

National beautification programs have flourished in Europe , including England , France and Ireland , for decades, and were the inspiration for Communities in Bloom. It began in 1995 with 29 Canadian communities and has grown to more than 100 national and hundreds of municipalities registered in the provincial editions.

Communities in Bloom promotes involvement and action by citizens of all ages, the municipal government, local organizations and businesses. The program strives to improve the tidiness, appearance and visual appeal of Canada 's neighbourhoods, parks, open spaces and streets through the imaginative use of flowers, plants and trees. A focus on environmental awareness and preservation of heritage and culture is also an integral part of its success resulting in an improved quality of life.

Since 1995 both expected and unexpected benefits have been felt by communities participating in the program:

• increase in civic pride and community involvement
  
• participation from all ages and all walks of life
  
• citizens, groups, organizations, business and municipal government all mobilized, and pulling together
  
• year ‘round project, not just one event
  
• process of continuous improvement for the whole community, year after year
  
• tangible and appealing results
  
• information and cultural exchanges within the community and with neighbouring, national and international communities
  
• valuable information and feedback from the judges
  
• decreased vandalism
  
• economic development
  
• increased property values
  
• marketing and promotional potential
  
• increased tourism
  
• increased impact on the hospitality industry
  
• increased impact on the retail industry

Kingston's Initiative