News Release
Release Date: September 16, 2017
For immediate release
Media Contact:
Steve Zwiep, Parks Supervisor
616-928.2450
Holland Wins in International Competition!
Holland, MI - The City of Holland is the winner of the International Challenge (Large Communities) category in the Communities in Bloom International Competition. Holland received a 5 Blooms (out of 5) - Silver rating and a special mention for Six Miles of Tulip Lanes during the 2017 National/International Symposium and Awards Ceremonies in Ottawa-Gatineau, National Capital Region. The City of Holland competed against Bruges, Belgium; Coquitlam BC, Canada; and Wood Buffalo AB, Canada.
Holland Mayor Nancy DeBoer and Hope College Groundskeeper Allison Jesky, both members of the Holland in Bloom Committee, are representing Holland at the Symposium. According to Mayor DeBoer, “Holland in Bloom really helps bring people and places together, and that is the essence of community. This whole effort is about a transmission of value and bringing people together around a shared vision for the future. Our ongoing efforts to promote beautification, to value the past, and to work to preserve our environment for the future, help to create an exceptional quality of life in Holland. We are proud of our accomplishments in the Communities in Bloom International Competition, and extend our thanks to those who helped make it possible.”
Laura Kunkle, Executive Director of America in Bloom, where the City competed from 2011 - 2016, offered these comments: “Congratulations to Holland, Michigan on this well-deserved award. Holland sets the standard in community development through beautification, environmental efforts, heritage preservation, and community involvement. We are so proud that the international community is able to see what you have accomplished!”
Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community involvement and the challenge of a national program, with focus on the enhancement of green spaces. The pride, sense of community and feeling of accomplishment generated through participation are visible in communities across Canada. For more information about Communities in Bloom, visit
Holland, MI - About the City of Holland:
The City of Holland, Michigan is a vibrant community in a beautiful lakefront setting. It is a world-class city with a small-town feel, making it one of the best places to live, work and vacation. Holland has been recognized by Forbes Magazine and Money Magazine as one of the safest and most beautiful places in the U.S. and was voted as the “Second Happiest and Healthiest Places to Live in America” by Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. In 2015, Holland landed the number three spot on the Livability.com list as one of the “10 Best Cities for Families.”
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