A few members of city council would like to see Prince Albert get a horticulture department to beautify focus areas. (file photo/paNOW

By Dawson Thompson

City Beautification

Possible horticulture department coming to city?

Jun 27, 2021 | 12:00 PM

Earlier this week, beautification of city entrance ways and focus areas were discussed by the Prince Albert Parks Department and city councilors.

The proposed approach cites that community beautification should be considered a high priority, specifically highway entrances, as they are the first contact that residents and visitors have, creating that first impression of the city.

The report that was brought to council includes the creation of new signage at city entrances. Also in the report is a new theme and color that will be repeated throughout the corridor. This will be included on the sign, and flowers that are planted.

The beautification will introduce new planting wherever possible— both trees and flowers. Vertical presentation is a big thing in the report. The color scheme can be showcased on light poles, flags, and public art.

While supporting the initiative, Mayor Greg Dionne believes beautification should be a lot less scary than it sounds.

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“If you give me 20 or 30 of those planters and a couple of bushels of plants, I’ll beautify Second Ave, and Marquis,” Dionne said. “I’ll get lots of volunteers and we’ll go out, plant the plants and fill them up with water. I think sometimes we think too hard and long on beautification when sometimes it’s right in front of us.”

“It’s not as easy as putting a planter on a median and expecting that to be okay,” Tim Yeaman, parks manager replied. “They require daily, weekly attention. If we’re not going to do it well, then we shouldn’t be doing it.”

Horticulture in the city

The idea of creating a new horticulture department in the city to address beautification was brought up by Coun. Dennis Ogrodnick and was supported by the Mayor.

“One thing that we’re lacking in the city is a horticulture department,” Ogrodnick said. “If we want to have beautification, we need to have expertise and staffing for it.”

“We used to have a club, and I loved it,” Dionne told paNOW after the meeting. “They used to have contests including the best-decorated yard, the best flowers. It was a great way to encourage people to do it.

“I do believe as a city we are big enough to have horticulture.”

He suggested the position(s) could be filled by university students.

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Dawson.thompson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @dawsonthompson8