LAURIE WEIR
What’s the cost of beauty?
For the Town of Smiths Falls, the initial work for 2025 will be $100,000.
Stephanie Clark, director of community services for the town, requested a pre-budget approval of $100,000 for community beautification efforts in 2025, which aims to enhance the aesthetic appeal of key public spaces through initiatives like flower planting and landscaping improvements ahead of the Old Home Week celebrations next year.
The funding would be allocated to several high-traffic areas, including the downtown core, Centennial Park, the Healing Circle, Victoria Park, and Abbott and Lombard Parkette. These enhancements are expected to foster civic pride, encourage tourism, and create a welcoming atmosphere for both residents and visitors, Clark noted.
Past beautification efforts have proven successful, and the department believes this pre-budget approval will allow timely contractor selection and the securing of planting stock ahead of the growing season. The proposed improvements include seasonal flower beds, hanging baskets, and upgraded landscaping throughout public spaces.
The report highlights the positive impact that well-maintained public spaces can have on the community’s image, which happened in 2024.
“We received a number of incredible complements for the 2024 flowers downtown and beyond,” Clark said, “and we’d like to capitalize on this momentum.”
She is looking at cohesion for the project going into next year. Traditionally, they have broken the beautification efforts into a number of different contracts.
Clark said it’s important to have the contractors get the stock in the ground this year, and to make sure they have flowers available for next year. This pre-budget approval will have deliver that.
In 2024, the department had $96,000 for the project.
Council gave full support of the request.
