National non-profit organization America in Bloom presented Beloit, Wis. with the Project EverGreen Landscaped Areas Award at its recent annual awards ceremony. Each year cities nationwide who actively work towards beautifying their community's green space are encouraged to enter the America in Bloom contest.
America in Bloom judges evaluated Beloit on eight criteria:
- Floral Displays
- Environmental Awareness
- Landscaped Areas
- Tidiness
- Urban Forestry
- Heritage Preservation
- Turf and Groundcovers
- Community Involvement
"When a community takes care of its green spaces you know it takes care of its citizens," said Den Gardner, executive director of Project EverGreen. "Beloit demonstrates a strong understanding of the lifestyle, economic and environmental benefits that green spaces have to offer and I hope that other communities will follow suit."
Delilah Onofrey, external relations chair for America in Bloom, said this year's judges feel Beloit is the best kept secret in the Midwest with hard working residents who take pride in everything they do.
"Beloit has an outstanding planting project mixing sculptures and plantings at the riverfront park," Onofrey said. "This planting display uses low-maintenance, native prairie perennial plants and grasses that evoke the spirit of the place. Sustainable design is used throughout the city, integrating perennials and grasses."
Onofrey said the city has expanded its parks department and reinvented it as a "leisure division" with "leisure crews" focused on making Beloit a great place to enjoy and thus standing out from this year's contest entrants.