Gimli was recognized for Viking Park during Manitoba Communities in Bloom (CiB) conference and awards banquet held on Oct. 4 in Gimli.
Gimli earned four blooms out of five for the Icelandic-themed park, which features lush landscaping, volcanic rocks, a donor recognition wall and the town’s iconic Viking statue.
Six Manitoba communities in total were recognized at the awards banquet. Five communities were provided with a bloom rating on a scale of 1 to 5 and a special mention, while one was entered in the non-evaluated category.
CiB fosters civic pride, environmental responsibility and sustainability, beautification and heritage preservation through the enhancement of green spaces. Since 1999 there have been more than 70 Manitoba communities that have participated in the program, making a commitment to work towards a sustainable future for their communities.
“The Manitoba Communities in Bloom (MB CiB) program provides communities with a comprehensive evaluation beneficial to the development of their community,” said CiB program coordinator Cathy Shaluk in an Oct. 7 media release. “The program encourages all sectors of the community to work together to develop best practices to achieve clean, green sustainable communities that celebrate their heritage and unique potential.”
In addition to Gimli, provincial CiB participants in 2025 are Warren, St. Jean Baptiste, Niverville, Baldur, and Portage la Prairie and Southport.
CiB judges toured participating communities to provide an evaluation that is focused on the beautification of landscapes and floral displays, environmental action, natural and cultural heritage conservation efforts, and urban forestry practices.
CiB’s Gimli conference included presentations by the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium, Gimli resident Tim Arnason, who spoke on a wetland project involving the former sewage lagoon, Gimli resident Andy Blicq, who spoke about historical conservation, and Southport which discussed climate mitigation.
