TRILLIUM AWARD

Presented at the St.Catharines Trillium Awards September 13, 2006

   Green Committee Trailblazer Award 

Good Evening: My name is Dick Thomas and I am a member of the St. Catharines Green Committee. I am doubly pleased to be here tonight.

First, I have the pleasure of introducing a new Award we have selected to honour a St Catherine's citizen, business or organization for outstanding leadership in creating or promoting our Garden City Image. This award symbolizes the ultimate compliment we can bestow on the selected recipient. It is meant to convey a rare high standard of excellence for greening in St Catharines.

 Second, I am pleased to be able to present our inaugural Trailblazer Award to a citizen who is well known to all of St Catharines, Mr. Bruce Zimmerman. In our estimation Bruce epitomizes the characteristics that the Trailblazer Award is meant to convey.  

Bruce is a local lad, born in Niagara Falls, but we won’t hold that against him, as he is now a Garden City resident.  After many years study, Bruce has applied his zeal for greening in many ways, not the least of which was via the media as a horticultural guru on various TV programs. However, what has probably made Bruce a household name for everyone in St Catharines is his “Open-Line Garden Show” on 610 CKTB, which he has been doing for just a few years . . . since 1990! Along with relevant gardening information Bruce answers questions from his listeners and some are real doozers! Using his same cheery voice, we also hear Bruce espouse his "Plant A Row Grow A Row" program. In 2003 Bruce was awarded the "Queens Golden Jubilee Commemorative Medal" for his contribution to this most worthy cause. Bruce is a Member of ‘Landscape Ontario’ & of the ‘Garden Writers Association’.
In addition to being a TV and radio celebrity, Bruce also works for a living, teaches from time to time at Niagara College, has a part-time horticultural consultant business, maintains a gardening website, and appears regularly at fairs and open houses to promote and advise his public. 

 We could not imagine a more suitable initial recipient: we are therefore extremely pleased and honoured to present Mr. Bruce Zimmerman with the

2006 Green Committee Trailblazer Award.