Community in Bloom

• 2004 – Won best city in B.C. in its category (population under 10,000);
• 2006 – Won the National competition with a score of 86.2% (7,500 - 10,000 population-category);
• 2007-2009 – Entered the International competition and maintained 5-Bloom rating;
• 2009 – Recognized for the Colombo Lodge's piazza development;
• 2009 – Awarded the first-ever Butchart Gardens Land Reclamation Award for the Piazza.
• 2010 – Won the National competition with a score of 89.7%;
• 2011-2013 – Entered International competitions and maintained 5-Bloom rating;2012 - Won the Floral Award which represents the Best Floral City in Canada;
• 2013 – Entered the International competition and maintained 5-Bloom rating;
• 2014 – Entered the International competition, maintained five blooms but also won the Landscape Award - given to a city with the best-landscaped areas in Canada.
• 2015 – Won the International (Medium) competition and maintained 5-Bloom rating (bronze) with a score of 85.3%.
• 2016 – Won the Community Achievement Award, which brought Canadian garden guru Mark Cullen to Trail for a special volunteer appreciation night.
• 2017 – Entered the Communities in Bloom Class of Champions category and maintained 5-Bloom rating.
• 2018 – Entered the Communities in Bloom Class of Champions category and maintained 5 Bloom rating.
• 2019 – Won the Garden Community Destination of the Year Award.
• 2020-2022 – Did not compete due to Covid
• 2023 – Won the Class of Champions (5-bloom silver) and the Plants Love You Contest.

CiB plants and maintains over 200 self-watering pots and baskets, all designed with water reservoirs to help cut down on daily watering. Besides hanging baskets and pots, volunteers also design and plant a number of “show” beds and stationary planters throughout the city, including the “Italo” Arrivederci bed, and the Colombo Piazza beds in the Gulch, the intersection at Rossland Avenue and Highway 22, the Family Statue bed across from the arena, the Cenotaph Veteran’s Square bed, the White Garden, the Esplanade, Rotary Park, and some smaller beds in East Trail. In addition, CiB volunteers plant and maintain the beds at the Entry-to-Trail sign in Tadanac, the Y in Sunningdale, Shaver’s Bench/Miral Heights, West Trail, Tadanac and Glenmerry to enhance the entrances to these neighbourhoods.

The White Garden has been slowly taking shape over the past decade with trees, shrubs and ornamental perennials blooming white from spring to late fall.   Overseeing the planting and maintenance of the garden is CiB volunteer Connie Smith with help from Rachael Brown. The entrance to the park from Helena Street contains a large Rainbow Garden and the entrance from Groutage Avenue exhibits a rose garden. To book the park for weddings or special events, contact the city.

The "Italo" or Arrivederci garden is at the exit/entrance to Trail (from the south) adjacent to Star Grocery and has always been the most photographed garden in Trail. Members of the Italo Canadese sponsor this garden. Connie Smith and Rachael Brown have done a fantastic job of selecting plants and organizing soil prep, planting, pruning and weeding throughout the summer, and clean-up in the fall.

At the top of Glover Road, there is a small "park" planted and maintained by West Trail residents. B Street Park in West Trail is also looked after by locals who plant tulips in the fall and maintain the brush and lawn.

Tadanac residents plant the bed at the entrance to Tadanac and the Welcome-to-Trail sign on Highway 3B.

At the Sunningdale "Y" the CiB committee plants and maintains a garden of perennials.

For all the other parks and green spaces throughout the city, garden contractors, MB Landscaping maintain the beds.

Guerilla Gardens

This term was pegged by one of the national judges who noted the number of “guerilla” gardens that have sprung up around town. These are special exhibits of decorative landscaping on boulevards and public property planted and maintained by local residents. A good example of this is on the Shaver’s Bench hillside along Highway 3B, which has grown from a small plot to several blocks.

Besides flowers, CiB developed the first of several murals on public and private buildings downtown. All feature events that shaped Trail throughout its first 100 years. The newest murals are on the side of the Trail Association for Community Living on Riverside, and the “Inclusion” mural at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (on the back of the building above the staff entrance). A map of Trail’s murals and historical “red-roofed” stairs, can be picked up at the Riverfront Centre. All Trail's murals have been designed and painted by Canadian Murals, an extremely talented Kootenay company. Read more about the City's extensive mural program.

To honour Trail's Scottish pioneers, CiB initiated Avenue of the Clans. About 50 tartan banners depicting families from early Trail are hung on light poles in East Trail and along the river walkway between the bridge and through Gyro Park. Main sponsorship for this project came from Columbia Power Corporation.  

A subcommittee of CiB organizes a spectacular garden tour each summer. The Hills to Valley Garden Tour features six to eight gardens and has expanded to include gardens in Warfield and Rivervale. Sponsored by Teck Metals Ltd., this year's tour (which includes a luncheon) is happening on June 22, 2024. For more information, contact Ian Noakes by phone: 250.364.3018

It is a known fact that graffiti attracts more graffiti - and nothing can bring an area or a city into a derelict-state faster than a wall of graffiti. CiB volunteers have taken up the challenge of eliminating graffiti as it appears: on rock walls, sidewalks, boulders and rocks at Gyro Park and inside the many covered staircases on Trail's hillsides. Donations for paint and cleaning supplies have come from various businesses. To report ugly tagging, email Trail Community in Bloom.

The CiB program takes in what EVERYBODY in town does. So, keeping a home with "curb appeal," a nice garden, neat boulevards and debris-free neighbourhoods is all part of the program. Hence, CiB thanks the overwhelming community of gardeners in Trail.

In addition to keeping neighbourhoods clean, there are a number of Adopt-a-Highways sponsors: Trail Rotary, Waneta Sunrise Rotary, and the West Kootenay Metis Society have all taken on sections of the highways leading into Trail, going out twice a year to pick up debris along the roadways.

CiB volunteers also patrol the town to rid the sidewalks of weeds and shooting grasses and frequently check for any problem areas, especially the Landfill area, which seems to get more than its share of debris flying off vehicles.

We are always looking for volunteers to help with weeding and planting as well as people to just come and share ideas - be part of what makes this city great. We meet about six times per year between October and June and keep connected via email. The city provides a budget. We also accept donations for any of our various projects. Please make cheques payable to the City of Trail and earmark them "Trail Community in Bloom."

For more information, contact chair Dan Rodlie at 250 368-9227, Rachael Brown at 250 368-7024 or email Trail Community in Bloom.