Volunteer for community planting event
Come out and join the biggest planting event in Courtenay. The Mile of Flowers is marking 59 years of filling Cliffe Avenue boulevards with colourful blooms on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
The Plant-in starts at 5 p.m. and goes until around 7 p.m. Volunteers from the community are invited to fill the garden beds on both sides of Cliffe Avenue from 8th to 21st Streets with summer flowers provided by the City of Courtenay.
No prior experience is required – just pick an open spot, and start planting. Participants are asked to bring garden gloves, a trowel and drinking water.
Typically, between 200 and 500 volunteers are needed. Youth groups are encouraged to take part.
A free barbecue will be available at Standard Park, located at Cliffe Avenue and 14th Street, courtesy of Courtenay Rotary and the City of Courtenay.
The City of Courtenay sends heartfelt thanks to all the community volunteers, clubs and organizations who have helped beautify our community for so many years.
For more information, please contact City of Courtenay at 250-334-4441 or email info@courtenay.ca
History
The Mile of Flowers is a Comox Valley tradition dating back to 1967, when Kathleen Kirk set out to commemorate Canada’s centennial year. That year she planted 7,800 seedlings as a welcome to tourists. From those beginnings launched an annual effort to plant tens of thousands of flowers in garden beds along Courtenay’s main thoroughfare.
In a typical year, hundreds of volunteers of all ages fill the garden beds on both sides of Cliffe Avenue with summer flowers provided by the City of Courtenay. Typically, between 200 and 500 volunteers are needed.
The Mile of Flowers was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maintenance and watering
The Mile of Flowers does more than brighten the community. Over time, the City has taken steps to reduce water use and improve water retention in the flower beds. Management strategies such as compost, mulch and soil improvements help retain moisture. A number of beds have also been converted to water-efficient drip irrigation, while some have been replanted with water-efficient perennial blooms and shrubs.