The Citizen, 2017-05-11, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017.
Friends of the Village plan for big year ahead
Clean-up
Janice Peters, one of the key members of the Blyth Friends
of the Village group, is seen here raking up one of the
village's many gardens just a few weeks ago ahead of a
very busy planting season for the group. Not only is there a
special tulip ceremony planned for Sunday, but it is also the
year Blyth celebrates its 140th anniversary. (Fite photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Blyth's Friends of the Village
gardening group has put its first year
of maintaining Blyth's green spaces
behind it and liaison Lissa Kolkman
said the group has created plenty of
memorable moments, but with many
more to come as well.
One of the group's greatest
achievements, Kolkman said, is the
bloom ceremony that will be held
on May 14 at Blyth Horticultural
Park to mark the blooming of the
Canada 150th Celebration Garden.
The bulbs for the garden were
distributed by the Canadian Garden
Council and the group had to submit
an application explaining why the
group wanted one of the 150 gardens
available through the program.
The garden will include 1,000
tulip bulbs, 500 white and 500 red,
donated by Vesey's Bulbs in Prince
Edward Island.
Kolkman, in a previous interview
with The Citizen regarding the event,
said she had focused on the
historical aspect of the village and
also highlighted the accessibility of
the garden to convince the judges in
the program. Kolkman also pointed
to Huron's agriculturally -rich area
and the fact that there are many
residents of Dutch heritage who
are also marking a milestone this
year.
The special ceremony for the
garden will include guest speakers
and Kolkman invites anyone out who
wants to be involved with the event.
"We have someone coming out
who remembers the history of the
cairn that is in the park to share that,"
she said. "It's on Mother's Day, and
we wanted it to be a small, quick
outing for families to take part in.
There will be tea and it should be a
fun day"
Being chosen as one of the
communities to host a garden is one
of the most visible achievements the
organization has managed, Kolkman
said, but it's certainly not the last
project for the Friends of the Village.
"We have some ongoing work,"
she said. "We're currently looking
for a landscape designer to work
with the horticultural park and
consider upgrades there. It's in the
works. We just need to visualize the
plan."
The group will also be involved
with the Spring on the Trail event on
May 13.
Hosted with the Goderich to
Guelph Rail (G2G) Trail
organization, the event will feature
nordic pole walking at 10 a.m., a
game of manhunt at 1 p.m. and a
bike tour of Blyth at 3 p.m.
Participants are also invited to take
part in any activity they wish on the
trail that day.
Pole walking will start near the
memory garden. Manhunt will also
be held near the gazebo on the trail.
Kolkman said the success of the
organization is tied to the fact that it
can always find people who are
willing to help.
"If we need a talent, someone
steps up," she said. "We work well
together, and people are always
willing to share what they know to
make things work. Sometimes the
knowledge and technique doesn't
even come from the group but from
those outside it."
Kolkman said that being a member
of the group can mean being there
with the committee to make sure
events happen or just helping out
when necessary.
"We'll welcome anyone who
wants to help out," she said. "They
just need to get in touch with us and
we will have some way they can
help."
Recently, the organization held its
clean-up day where several members
worked together to clean spaces
"Don't
Get Caught
With Your
Pants Down"
BLUEWATER
SANITATION INC.
1-888-805-6481
www.bluewatersanitation.com
Available
for all your
outdoor
events
Friendly, reliable service in your community for over 40 years
Portable Chemical Toilets Delivered Fresh
• Single Units • Deluxe Wedding Units
• Accessible Units • Heated Units
1-888-805-6481 or 519-368-5529
www.bluewatersanitation.com •. email: bws@bmts.com
VISA
throughout the village as well as the
Greenway Trail, part of the recently
formed Goderich to Guelph (G2G)
Rail Trail.
"There wasn't a lot of cleaning to
do, actually," Kolkman said in an
interview with The Citizen. "Other
community groups have gone
through and helped out which really
shows that the work we do is
appreciated not just by the group"
Spaces the organization are
responsible for include the
Horticultural Park on Dinsley Street,
the Greenway Trail, the southerly
and northerly Blyth sign
installations, the Anglican Cemetery
located near the North Huron water
treatment facility and the Blyth
Union Cemetery.
A sub -committee of the group is
also responsible for the Blyth
Memory Garden, which is along the
Greenway Trail. The group has also
started making recommendations as
to green spaces around the Blyth and
District Community Centre and the
adjacent camp ground.
Kolkman said this year the group
has come together to help support
Blyth's 140th committee and to
mark the 150th anniversary of the
founding of Canada.
"We're having a raffle to mark
Canada's 150th as a fundraiser for
Continued on page 24
Read Rhea Hamilton Seeger's
Gardening column
on the
Huron Home and Garden
Guide
section of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca
Dave frafetaelet
CONCRETE FORMING
For All Your Concrete Needs!
COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL
• Foundations • Floor Finishing
• Circular Tanks • Sandwich Walls
FREE ESTIMATES
RR#3 Blyth — Fax 519-523-9604
519-523-9971
13TH ANNUAL
OPEN
HOUSE
Saturday, May 13, 2017
9:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Annuals • Perennials
• Trees • Shrubs
Don't forget Mom
Mother's Day
is May 14!
Beautify your garden with
annuals & perennials for the IPM
Bring in your pots for custom planting anytime
or we can help you do your own.
Leave the mess with us!
So take a drive, and see what's growing at Sunset Springs!!
RR#4 Walton, Ontario
43079 Hullett-McKillop Road
519.521-0761