Barbara Latkowski
Caledonia Courier
On Oct. 7, members of the Fort St. James community came with gloves and shovels in hand.
Despite the cold snowy weather, they came together with a vision.
This vision includes 1000 red and white tulips planted and ready to flower in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017.
The tulips were planted at the Fort St. James Chamber of Commerce.
“On Sept. 20, the Fort St. James Chamber of Commerce was the lucky recipient of one of 150 Celebration Gardens being distributed across Canada in celebration of Canada’s 150th,” said Rosa Anne Howell, manager of the Chamber in Fort St. James.
The bulbs were distributed by the Canadian Garden Council in collaboration with Vasey’s Bulbs of P.E.I. to celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial year.
According to the Chamber of Commerce, planting 1000 bulbs for Canada’s 150th is a terrific way to say “Happy Birthday” to our home and native land.
About 400 applications were received and the community of Fort St. James thanks the Chamber of Commerce and the GUF Society for submitting the winning application.
The tulip remains a longstanding symbol of friendship, kindness and hospitality and Honorable John Rustad, MLA for Nechako Lakes is thrilled that Fort St. James has been chosen as one of the communities offered a celebration garden.
“We feel very fortunate,” Rustad said.
The garden, consisting of 500 red tulips and 500 red tulips, is now ready to show its colours this spring.
Members of the community including members of the GUF Society, Fort St. James District, the Chamber of Commerce, Nak’azdli Band and Public Works were on hand and ready to plant.
According to the Fort St. James Chamber of Commerce, the garden and all other 149 gardens planted across the country will be symbolically linked to a Flagship 150th Celebration Garden Promenade, consisting of 25,000 tulips planted this fall adjacent to Niagara Falls.
The garden will also be featured in Canada’s Garden Route at: www.canadagardenroute.ca