The town of St. Jean Baptiste received a top honour recently in a provincial beautification program.
St Jean Baptiste earned a five bloom award in the category of communities with a population between 501 and 1,000, and it marked a great first year in earning top marks in the 2025 provincial Communities in Bloom.
“The comment was nobody gets five blooms in their first year,” said Mona Lavallee, who was involved in the community being part of the program. “Absolutely it is nice recognition for the community, especially getting the five blooms, which is the highest you can get.”
The 27th annual Manitoba Communities in Bloom conference and awards ceremony was held at the Gimli Lakeview Resort Oct. 4, and it honoured six Manitoba communities participating at the provincial level. Since 1999, over 70 Manitoba communities have experienced the benefits of Communities in Bloom.
The Manitoba Communities in Bloom program provides communities with a comprehensive evaluation beneficial to the development of their community. 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.
Judges tour participating communities providing an evaluation which focuses on beautification of landscapes and floral displays, environmental action, natural and cultural heritage conservation efforts and urban forestry practices.
“We really weren’t sure what to expect or what it would all entail,” said Lavallee, whose husband Gilbert serves on the St. Jean Baptiste local urban district committee. “We learned it wasn’t just about having flowers on the boulevard. There’s a number of different categories that are involved in it.”
They organized a lunch on the day of the judging and toured the judges around the community, and Lavallee gave credit where it was due, noting how they rely so much on community volunteers.
“We had one couple who were especially visionary 20 or 30 years ago and really wanted to do stuff to beautify the main street … so residents with a vision,” she said.
There were a wide range of initiatives such as even fixing up the main community hall.
“And the nice part with the judges coming in too is that they make recommendations on things that you can improve on,” she noted. “One of them was you need more signage on the highway to draw people in to your community.”
St. Jean Baptiste was especially cited for its Four Corner Heritage Park, which is located near the location of a bridge that formerly crossed the Red River.
“We lost our bridge crossing the Red River in 2013 … and the province condemned the bridge,” noted Lavallee, noting the bridge was then demolished.
“This was a bit of an eyesore, so we developed a project,” she said. “We put a canopy over it, and we added picnic tables. We added interpretative panels, so now it’s kind of a nice overlook at the Red River.”
In addition, there is a park area where another community member took the initiative to have 50 trees planted, and they hope to do more again next year.
“So it’s all the little things,” said Lavallee. “You don’t realize the potential that a place has to draw people to your community, but it’s the little things.”
Here are some comments from the judges:
“St. Jean Baptiste is a charming village where the Plum and Red Rivers meet, rich in French heritage reflected in its Roman Catholic church, heritage park and French school. The former bridge site now serves as a scenic picnic and event space, telling the story of the river crossing.
“Community pride is evident in projects like the heritage park, pollinator garden and Centennial Hall. Recreational options suit all ages, from a splash park and playground to disc golf, ATV trails and winter tobogganing. Club Chez Nous keeps over 110 older adults engaged with activities, coffee meetups and monthly meals.
“Often passed by on Highway 75, St. Jean Baptiste offers much to visitors and residents alike, including a wooded campground and recreational facilities.”
