Dear Editor,

Congratulations to Fort St. John for attaining the maximum 5 Blooms in the Class of Champions at the 2012 Communities in Bloom Awards on October 13. Fort St. John was in competition with five other winning communities from previous national and international competitions of Communities in Bloom.

As the judges of this competition we applaud the City, its staff, and residents for working together to create a vibrant, beautiful and sustainable community. It was very clear during our evaluation tour in July that there is a history of careful planning and collaborative efforts to create a great place to live, to work and to play. We were particularly impressed with the volunteer commitment and the passion and dedication to preserve and protect the natural environment.

The museum is worthy of special mention with the beautifully displayed artefacts, the carefully catalogued collections and archives and, of course, the dedication and passion of wonderful volunteers.

Each resident of Fort St. John should feel very proud of their contribution to their community's participation in the Class of Champions edition of Communities in Bloom.

Berta Briggs and Maurice Baren

Judges, Communities in Bloom