Annapolis Royal

In 2004, Annapolis Royal was designated "the most livable small town in the world". Recently, the town received another distinction-its the International winner of the Communities in Bloom program. This programme recognizes improvements to the quality of life through beautification, community involvement, environmental awareness and heritage conservation.

This award demonstrates some lessons for Toronto: about how we should stop depending on the city or government in general to be the stewards of the environment and instead, take matters (if not rakes) into our own hands. Recycling is important but the place to start is the same place that Annapolis Royal did: One of the criteria of the Communities in Bloom is "tidiness". One place to compare is the parks in Annapolis Royal and Toronto- Annapolis Royal has a magnificent park and our are very unkempt!

Pupils at Champlain Elementary School grew sunflowers seedlings that were subsequently planted in the Historic Gardens and throughout town. An extreme makeover team gathers on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, garbage bags in tow and converges on public areas that need attention. The town doesn't rely on others to beautify it, it takes up the challenge. There's a lesson here, too. The spirit of what is going on in Annapolis Royal is something that we should emulate.

Tidy is an admirable start for Toronto. Let's all start and let our council know that we are going to start and let's all set an example and not accept the mess that continues to develop around us. Let's look to Annapolis Royal as an example of what can be done.