Letter to the Editor

Cominco Gardens in Kimberley was always a jewel in our community. Since its existence residents and visitors to Kimberley have enjoyed all the beauty the gardens offered.

Over the years, there were times when buses came up so people could view the vast array of flowers and trees. At one point, a tea shop was open in the summer. For many years graduation class photos were held there. And families, wanting to remember their loved one, planted roses in the memorial garden within the main gardens.

Residents of The Pines have often visited the gardens over the years as it was very accessible to them and did not require special transfers and buses to visit.

And today? It is in a deplorable condition.

There are no other words to describe its condition. In May 2022, the City of Kimberley announced it had received a provincial grant of $1 million to rebuild and restore it. Mayor McCormick was quoted in one news article saying: “Over the years it became a really important asset for not just residents in town but also for visitors. We’ve built it as one of the top ten things to do and see in Kimberley,” He further said, “All of the infrastructure is going to be replaced and rebuilt with of course the flowers and the rose bushes and all the rest of it being rejuvenated as well. It’s a very, very extensive rebuild.”

Two year later, the Gardens are all but dead. The only flowers blooming are the perennials and their flower beds are infested with weeds. In the Memorial Rose Garden, there are so many weeds that the roses are not really blooming. There are many, many empty flower beds filled with nothing but weeds. 

And now I see that some of the leafy trees are dead and dying along with all the grass. It is a massive disgrace how the city has let this jewel die. So, what are we getting for that $1 million dollar grant? Well, someone is painting the main building which I understand is empty. But what good is a painted building for when the city has allowed everything in the garden to go to weed or die.

The City of Kimberley should be absolutely ashamed of the state of the gardens today. I believe they owe the residents of Kimberley an explanation as to why they have allowed the gardens to fall into disrepair. And they need to share with residents what their “master plan including a timeline is to bring it back to its former glory.

The irony is that when you walk in to view the gardens from the Pines parking lot, there is a sign saying donations are welcome.

Lori Tedrick,

Kimberley

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