Courtenay Annual Report 2025 draft

Mile of Flowers, Cliffe Avenue

Community Clean-up, Courtenay Air Park

Mile of Flowers Mile of Flowers marked its 58th year in 2025, continuing a long-standing community tradition of planting summer blooms along Cliffe Avenue. On May 27, hundreds of volunteers joined City staff to fill garden beds from 8th to 21st streets with flowers supplied by the City. The free, family-friendly event required no experience, and youth groups were entered into a draw for a one-hour outdoor pool party at Lewis Park. Refreshments were provided in partnership with the Courtenay Rotary Club. Mile of Flowers began in 1967 and now relies on 200– 500 volunteers each year. Recent updates to soil, mulch and irrigation have significantly reduced water use, saving roughly 600,000 gallons annually.

Community members gathered for third annual spring clean-up event The City hosted its third annual community spring clean-up on April 26, welcoming volunteers to help refresh public spaces around Courtenay Air Park and nearby trails. Participants received safety orientation and supplies from City staff before heading out to collect litter, reinforcing the community’s shared commitment to cleaner parks, streets and waterways. This growing tradition supports broader environmental goals by preventing debris from entering storm drains, creeks and the estuary. It also complements recent waste-reduction efforts, including a 38 per cent decrease in landfill garbage through automated curbside collection and the Bring Your Own Cup (BYOC) initiative. BYOC was delivered in partnership with the Downtown Courtenay Business Improvement Association (DCBIA) to reduce single use waste.

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