Westport In Bloom

Westport in Bloom was formed as an offshoot of the Westport Centennial Committee’s plans to celebrate the Village’s centennial in 2004. Its original purpose was to organize Westport’s participation in Ontario’s Communities in Bloom competition. Following the Centennial celebrations, it became a committee of the Council of Westport, and changed the focus of its efforts from competition to beautification of the village. It currently consists of eleven members and four associate members. We also receive invaluable support from a heartwarming number of generous business and individual donors, and the help of countless volunteers from the community.

What We’ve Done

• Planted, watered and maintained 80 planters and hanging baskets
• Planted, watered and maintained 5 gardens at the Village Hall and Village entrance signs
• Planted 10 trees
• Placed more garbage containers around town, brightly decorated with artwork by elementary school students
• Obtianed, placed and maintained 22 hand-painted cigarette butt cans
• Designed, purchased and installed 10 colourful “Welcome to Westport” banners along Concession Street, with more to come at the other entrances to the Village
• Offered greeting card versions of the banners and scenic Westport postcards for sale
• Made, hung and removed fall & winter street decorations
• Developed, proposed and implimented a Village tree policy
• Prepared a list of recycling opportunities
• Held Christmas lights & poster contests
• Promoted the establishment of a heritage committee by Council
• Held Village clean-up days
• Held  public meetings with speakers on gardening topics
• Won a $5000 grant from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund, for:

1. 1. aerial photographs of downtown Westport
   2. a physical survey of downtown Westport
   3. a landscape architect’s plan to beautify and improve the downtown core 

What We Want To Do

• Continue our hanging basket program
• Replant our memorial planters
• Plant LOTS more trees
• Continue working on the downtown beautification plan, with input from businesses and residents
• Offer memorial tree and bench programs
• Create a mini-park between the municipal parking lot and the back of the hardware store
• Continue adding decorative art banners along Village streets
• Hire someone to water our baskets and gardens, to relieve the volunteers who have worked so hard to keep Westport blooming

You Can Help!

Make a donation! In addition to the satisfaction that you gain from helping to build a more beautiful community, your donation of $20 or more entitles you to a tax receipt. When Westport blooms, everyone wins!

• Contributor: $20
• Supporter: $50
• Patron: $100
• Sponsor: $200
• Major Sponsor: $500

Sponsor a Planter

For $175, you can have the name of someone you love placed on a memorial planter in the heart of Westport for a three-year term. The planters are planted, watered and maintained from the first of June till early October each year.

Please keep Westport blooming! Your donation makes it happen:

• $75 Buys and maintains a hanging basket
• $100 gets the garbage cans painted
• $200 maintains the water wagon for a year
• $250 buys a “Welcome to Westport” banner
• $500 buys a new Purple Martin birdhouse

Volunteer

Westport in Bloom always needs help – planting flowers and trees, moving planters, hanging baskets and banners, watering the village’s gardens, or even providing transportation or storage space. If you have even a little time, muscle, idea or space, just let us know and we’ll call you!

Contact

By mail: Westport in Bloom
P.O. Box 142
Westport, Ontario
K0G 1X0

By phone: (613) 273-6079 or (613) 273-2053

By e-mail: bjmac@rideau.net or bradyja@rideau.net

Rideau St. Lawrence Utilities Tree Planting Guide

RSL welcomes the opportunity to help you choose proper locations for planting trees on your property, in relation to overhead and underground hydro equipment.  Visit the Village Office for a copy of the Guide, or simply download the file below for helpful advice on the planting process and information on the many benefits of planting trees on your property!

RSL Tree Planting Guide (Microsoft Word document)