DWC Board Briefed About America in Bloom Judicial Visit

The America in Bloom judges asked plenty of questions during their last week, downtown agency board members were told Monday evening.

Executive Director Sherry Cronin briefed DWC board members that the AIB judges, Billy Butterfield and Melanie Riggs, provided some feedback during the three-day tour, but are saving the bulk of their critique for the final report.

“They asked a lot of questions,” Cronin said.

Cronin said the three-day tour focused on showcasing a wide swath of Westfield, along with briefing the judges on the town’s beautification plans. She said parts of the tour looked at various town parks, including an in-depth tour of the , and .

She said Butterfield and Riggs were given a tour of the by . During this tour, Gildea briefed the judges on the town’s environmental policies and sustainability plans. America in Bloom includes a look at a town’s sustainability programs as part of the judging process.

Cronin said the judges had a chance to tour the Reeve House and the Miller-Cory Museum on Mountain Avenue during the trip. This tour fulfilled the AIB requirement of a look at heritage tourism sites in a community. During the 2010 AIB report, the judges recommended that Westfield have a focus on heritage tourism.

Cronin told board members that the sponsored a breakfast reception for the judges, which included the entire DPW staff. She said during the reception, DPW staff introduced themselves and outlined their roles in the department. As part of the DPW presentation, Cronin said the department outlined their urban forestry program for the town’s trees.

“I saw the DPW out doing a lot,” DWC board member Diane Barabas said. “Trimming trees and downtown a lot.”

Cronin said one of the areas she focused on with the judges were the hanging floral displays throughout downtown and on the Central Avenue corridor.

“They liked all of the floral displays,” Cronin said.

Cronin noted that the floral displays were not in full bloom due to the two-week long heat wave that overcame Westfield prior to the judges’ visit.

Cronin said that long term she would like to see the DWC continue a focus on the Central Avenue corridor project.

“I get a lot of feedback on Central Avenue,” she said. “People really love Central Avenue. We really need to have to keep a focus on there.”

In addition to the public areas, Cronin led the judges on tours of private gardens around town. The gardens were recommended by owners, along with the Garden Club and the Rake and Hoe Garden Club.

At the same time, Cronin stressed to her board that the AIB competition is not just a floral competition.

“It is a lot more than just flowers,” she said.

Cronin said that the judges had a chance to dine in several downtown restaurants, noting that they enjoyed on Elmer Street. She also said the Tuesday evening jazz concert impressed the judges, who asked if the large crowds were a weekly occurrence in the downtown business district for the jazz nights.

The AIB judges will decide between Westfield and Holland, Mich. in the population category portion of the annual competition. , Westfield was the . The winner will be announced Oct. 6 during a reception at the Society of American Florists headquarters in Alexandria, Vir.

In addition to the contest judging, the judges are required to submit a report evaluating how Westfield met the various criteria set by AIB. The criteria includes such areas as environmental sustainability, horticulture, downtown beauty, local gardens and heritage tourism.

“They give us a lot more in the report than we can ever hope to see,” Cronin said about the recommendations from the judges.

Cronin co-chairs the town’s AIB committee with Dave Williams from Williams Nursery. Williams was the one who first came up with the idea of Westfield entering the AIB competition 10 years ago when the program started. AIB is patterned after the Communities in Bloom competition from Canada.

Cronin told board members that she believes that the program – which Westfield has since – has a variety of positive benefits for the community

“I think that the competition causes action,” Cronin said.