Jasper earned five out of five blooms in this year’s Communities in Bloom Alberta Awards, placing it among just two communities in the province to receive the top rating.
Meg Moll, administrator for Jasper Communities in Bloom, said the committee was pleased with the results and the feedback from judges. Calmar, Alberta, which hosted this year’s awards ceremony, was the other five-bloom recipient.
“We’re more than happy with our results and with all the feedback that was given,” Moll said. “That’s going to give us a really good head start for next year, and we’re thinking of applying to both provincial and national levels.”
Danny Frechette, chair of Jasper Communities in Bloom, credited community involvement with helping Jasper earn the top rating. The town was specifically recognized for its volunteerism.
“It’s much more than just flowers,” Frechette said. “It’s about the support systems, the community involvement and the stewardship of our town.”
Communities in Bloom encourages friendly competition among communities, evaluating not only floral displays but also environmental initiatives, volunteerism and other measures of community vitality.
Jasper’s program was once run independently by volunteers before the Municipality’s operations department became involved, opening the door to a larger budget, more grants and additional fundraising opportunities.
The committee had been unable to participate in the competition for several years. It began rebuilding after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023, but the 2024 wildfire further delayed its return to the competition.
This year’s theme, therapeutic gardening, was particularly fitting for a community recovering and rebuilding after the wildfire, Moll said.
“We thought it was an amazing theme to have [for] people recovering and rebuilding their space here and finding new places to garden,” she said.
Judges Bob Lewis and Berta Briggs visited Jasper from Sept. 9 to 11, touring the community with Mayor Richard Ireland and committee members.
Their stops included the Jasper sign near the Information Centre, the Indigenous Exhibit, the public library to learn about its programming, and the affordable housing project on Connaught Drive.
Moll said the judges were particularly impressed by the community garden on Connaught Drive, which provides growing space for residents who don’t have gardens of their own.
They also saw how volunteers had planted native plants and trees along the Discovery Trail on the north end of town.
Moll said the judges were struck by how individual projects added up to make a difference across the community.
One ongoing initiative is Happy Little Trees, organized by Frechette. Children at a local daycare help water Douglas firs that Parks Canada replanted on Snape’s Hill five years ago.
“It’s a special place, and we’re putting the forest back,” Frechette said.
Along with the five-bloom rating and positive feedback, Jasper received suggestions for improvement, including introducing new bylaws, installing more LED streetlights and undertaking additional landscaping in some areas.
Moll said the recognition was an uplifting moment for the community, highlighting the contributions of residents working to make Jasper a better place.
“We are doing good things in our community, and we do have such a phenomenal community of volunteers that takes the time to really care about what Jasper looks like.”
Peter Shokeir, Local Journalism Initiative // info@thejasperlocal.com
