Derry retains Ulster in Bloom title

The annual horticultural competition aims to encourage cities, towns and villages across Northern Ireland to look their best, boosting civic pride through beautiful plant and floral displays.

Now in its 39th year, all 11 local councils participated in the 2017 competition which attracted 160 entries.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Maolíosa McHugh, congratulated everyone involved in helping Derry retain its City title.

“I would like to congratulate the Grounds Maintenance and Street Cleansing teams on this prestigious title which is just recognition for their dedicated work in presenting our City and District in the best possible light.

“The floral displays and plants around the Council area have looked resplendent this year, providing a bright and welcoming backdrop for visitors and adding to local people’s sense of civic pride.

“Council’s plant and floral presentations, grass cutting and cleansing regimes are also a key element to the physical and environmental regeneration of our region set out in our Community Plan.”

Speaking at the results announcement ceremony, Translink Chairman, Frank Hewitt, added:

“Congratulations to all the 2017 Translink Ulster in Bloom winners and runners-up. It’s been a highly competitive year with such an impressive standard of entries and we’ve seen a number of new locations reach the top spots.

“We’d like to thank all the local councils, businesses and community groups who invest their time, effort and expertise throughout the year to make their area a more attractive place to live and visit.

“At Translink, we continue to work hard to transform public transport to support the growth and prosperity of villages, towns and cities across Northern Ireland. We’re delighted to bring the Results Announcement to Derry~Londonderry – the winner of the Translink Ulster in Bloom City Award – where we have recently launched our new Foyle Metro bus service featuring an attractive new fleet and improved timetable.

“We remain committed to working closely with our stakeholders in government, business and the community to deliver infrastructure development, product innovation and sustained vehicle investment to benefit our customers right across Northern Ireland,” said Frank.

The Translink Ulster in Bloom Competition is co-ordinated by the Northern Ireland local Government Association (NILGA).