Despite several challenges caused by this year’s flooding, it has been a successful second year for Cache Creek’s “Adopt a Planter” program, which saw 34 planters and public garden beds tended to by businesses, organizations, and members of the community.
Cache Creek CAO Damian Couture says that after a positive response last year, the village began reaching out prior to this year’s floods after they heard that the program should start earlier this time around.
“We were letting people know about the program in March and April, and were sorting out issues like what was the first day that irrigation would be turned on, and then we got heavily kiboshed because we were underwater. We considered putting the program on hold this year, and we had some conversations with participants among everything else going on, and the consensus was that people wanted to do something.”
Damage to irrigation lines meant that between 10 and 15 of the planters would have no water.
“We told people ‘We want to get you water, but we don’t know,’ and told them up front they might have to shuttle water all season,” says Couture. “We said ‘If you don’t want to do it then let us know, but if you want to keep on then great.’
“I don’t think anyone dropped off. No one was upset with us. People understood the circumstances and did what they had to do to make it work.”
The “vast majority” of those who participated last year — 26 in all — returned, with four planters taken over by new participants. Couture says that so many people reached out to take part that the village expanded beyond planters and added some flower beds at the community hall and the park. He adds that he believes the program will become an annual one, and if it does then they will be looking to put planters in new spots.
“Staff have talked about a planter walk in the park, with smaller planters that would be put along the walking trail. The planters we have now are very large, which means they can be very beautiful but they can be intimidating. It’s a big space.”
Couture notes that in the past, the village employed a contractor who looked after the planters, which he says resulted in beautiful planters but at considerable expense. Now, anybody who opts to adopt a planter is able — once the planter is finished — to submit a photo of their work and then receive a $100 gift card redeemable at one of the three local businesses (Horstings, Desert Hills, and Ashcroft Home Hardware) that sell flowers and plants.
“The budgeted amount last year was a little over $5,000, and we were under budget. We’re trending towards under budget again this year, but the costs [which also include signs for the planters, plaques, two permanent signs in the village office, and an end-of-year get-together] aren’t finalized. We do new signs each year to tie in with the theme, and there are plaques in the office commemorating Best Overall and Best Use of Theme.”
This year’s theme was “Explosion of Colour”, and on Aug. 30 two judges — Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart and Ashcroft Mayor Barbara Roden — toured the community with the village’s Bev Lievers to view all the planters and flower beds and name the winners in four categories. In addition to flowers (including lots of sunflowers, the village’s official flower), many planters contained vegetables (cherry tomatoes were popular), decorative elements (including wood scavenged from the flood debris), pollinator-friendly plants, and gaily-painted rocks.
When the numbers were in, the planter outside the Sandman Hotel (Tami Pinch/Slim Jim’s) won for “Best Use of Theme”, while the planter outside the Riverside Motel (Green Thumb Team) won for “Most Diverse”. “Best Overall” and the People’s Choice award (voted for online by members of the public) went to the Millward/Billy family planter outside Chum’s Restaurant (second planter heading east), and the “Community Spirit” award from the village went to the planter outside the Grubstake (Ashcroft Bakery).
The final judges’ award, for “Most Creative”, went to the Ashcroft and District Lions Club planter outside the Old Dutch warehouse. That planter was one that did not have water, so the club members made lemonade from lemons by decorating it with artificial flowers and debris flotsam. A luncheon for participants followed the judging.
With this year’s program starting to wind down, Couture says the village has considered Halloween and winter/Christmas motifs for the planters, since those who have adopted them have them for the whole year.
“This is your space to present yourself to the community all year, so have some fun: do something spooky for Halloween or something Christmassy. We haven’t had the opportunity to flesh this out, but it’s an idea we’re considering for 2024. In the meantime, if someone was to do this we wouldn’t stop them.”
He adds that 99 per cent of the comments they’ve received from the public about the program have been extremely positive.
“People say it’s such a cool idea, and other communities have reached out to us because they’ve heard we’re doing it and think it sounds neat. People like being able to do something nice for their town at little to no cost apart from time. They want to do something that impacts the community in a positive way, and this is another avenue.
“People have bought into it and accept that this has a reduced cost [compared with hiring a contractor]. We could expand it and still have it cost less than the old system. As long as people want to do it, we can’t see it going away.”
