Despite criticism from some councillors about the municipality’s downtown Sackville flower pots and gardens from this past season, Tantramar council approved hiring the same company for the job of supplying and planting flowers in 2025 and 2026. But Active Living director Matt Pryde told council there will be some changes come spring, with new pollinator beds in Sackville, the possibility of more pots in the Dorchester village square, and more control for the town over things like flower variety.
Local company Yard Guyz has had the contract for the past two years, providing and planting flowers for hanging baskets and cast iron planters, as well a several flower beds. Active Living director Matt Prdye told council that although the contract included an option to renew for a third year, staff decided to put out a request for quotations.
“Staff wanted to make a few changes to the contract,” said Pryde, “including the removal the flower beds on Bridge Street in favour of perennial pollinators.” Pryde said the municipality also changed its evaluation procedure to be based on more than simply price. “We want to include things like the bed layouts and the variety of flowers and whatnot in the contract,” said Pryde.
The new Yard Guyz contract will cost the municipality just over $20,000 per year for each of the next two years. Another bid from Farmer Brown’s in Dawson Settlement was disqualified as not meeting the requirements of the process.
On Tuesday evening, councillors Josh Goguen and Barry Hicks both raised concerns about the quality of the plantings this past season when compared with neighbouring municipalities. Pryde responded that he has been learning from other municipalities with successful planting programs, and hopes that more oversight and specifics of the contract will improve the results in Tantramar in the coming years.
Councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell asked about how the flower program might benefit Dorchester. Pryde answered that one giant cast iron pot had been ordered for the village square, but other allocations will be up to council.
“The hanging baskets are designated for Sackville,” said Pryde. ”If council wanted to explore other locations for them, then we can make those arrangements.”
After the meeting on Tuesday, Pryde told CHMA the switch to perennial pollinator gardens on Bridge Street in Sackville will be done with the help of the Sackville Community Garden and EOS Eco Energy. “They’ll be the experts on selecting the plants,” he said. “They’re pretty confident that they can find plants that will hold up in the winter and not be affected by the road salt and that sort of thing.”
Pryde said the initiative would be “another step towards being more environmentally friendly in our planting practices.”
