In 2016, the Town of Gull Lake won the Provincial Communities in Bloom Award for the 501–1,000 population category. Additionally, the Town was recognized for its community involvement with a Special Mention. That was Gull Lake's final year of participation in the CIB program. Gull Lake began participating in the CIB program in 2013 and continued until 2016. During that time period, a number of projects aimed at improving the community's appearance were undertaken, including the following:

• Creation of the Xeriscape Garden Downtown.

• Adding Benches, Garbage, and Recycling containers downtown.

• Adding fencing between Guang Dong Palace and the Last Chance Bar and Grill and other areas on Conrad Avenue.

• Created two pocket parks downtown.

• Added the decorative flower displays to the street light poles on Rutland Avenue and downtown.

• Added floral displays to the north entrance and the Wagon display next to the EMS Hall, and in the Little Green on the Prairie Park.

• Painting of the Elks Hall.

• Creation of the Town Flag with community input.

Additional projects spearheaded by the CIB committee included a back alley cleanup, an Earth Day community-wide clean-up, and public recognition of businesses and residents for their contributions to the town's beautification.

Other committees, such as the Cemetery Committee, aided the CIB committee's efforts by making a number of significant improvements to the cemetery, including:

• The cleaning of all of the headstones and grave covers.

• Adding a shelter at the entrance that has the map of the cemetery.

• Markers added to the rows to help people navigate the cemetery easier.

• A plaque to commemorate the unmarked graves in Potters Field.

• The addition of the Columbarium in the new section of the cemetery.

• Adding the Sign posting the cemetery rules at the entrance.

The Heritage Committee assisted with the restoration of the Wong Guy Shoe Shop, and the Tourism Committee was instrumental in developing the Heritage Walking Tour.

The committee's accomplishments were the result of a community effort and are too numerous to list here in full. Gull Lake withdrew from the program in 2016, but the most recent evaluation from the judges included a number of recommendations for the committee to consider if the program had continued (see the CIB 2016 Evaluation).

Communities in Bloom fosters civic pride by encouraging residents to think creatively about ways to improve their neighborhoods. What suggestions do you have for enhancing our town's civic pride and improving it?

Blake Campbell

Gull Lake Events

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