Mountlake Terrace residents and businesses have been awarded the city’s first Evergreen Awards. The inaugural class of 24 was inducted into the program Sept. 16 during a public reception. Winners were recognized for their structural and landscaping efforts and taking pride in their properties.
Winners were presented with plaques to display that distinguish them as an Evergreen Award recipient.
The goal of the program is to promote beautification efforts in the city, said Virginia Olsen, community relations manager and city clerk.
“We want to recognize residents and businesses who take pride in maintaining their properties, enhancing the community image and maintaining the their properties,” Olsen said. “Maintaining neighborhoods is vital to building communities. We want Mountlake Terrace to be a beacon of excellence in Snohomish County.”
The program also helped promote conservation as part of the city’s sustainability strategy. A sustainability category was included within the awards, spotlighting projects with green features and native landscaping.
The Evergreen Awards were made possible through a grant from the Snohomish County-Camano Association of Realtors. SCCAR members believe that there is a payback to realtors marketing the community, according to Olsen.
“The Snohomish County-Camano Association of Realtors is proud to have been able to fund such a deserving program that recognizes the dedicated citizens of Mountlake Terrace for their commitment to maintaining their properties,” spokesman Cameron Fay said. “We believe that maintaining neighborhoods is crucial to creating a positive atmosphere for neighbors to become friends and for families to grow.”
Sashil and Bob Pillay’s residence was one of the Neighborhood Winners from the East Terrace neighborhood. The excellent use of the hill and manicured lawn with well-trimmed shrubs on the corner lot put the family’s residence into the winner’s circle. Planting palm and banana trees give a nod to the family’s Fijian heritage.
“When we bought the house seven years ago, it was a wreck,” Bob Pillay said. “We immediately set up to clean the front yard with our two kids.”
A Metro bus driver for 17 years and now a Link light rail operator, Pillay said gardening is just a hobby.
Throughout the project, neighbors stopped to chat with the Pillays. One offered use of a trailer to bring in soil, another helped lay the sod. “We exchanged ideas,” Pillay said. “This year, we are splitting a load of bark with Shelley and Ronald Warhol who live across the street and were also Evergreen Award winners this year.
“This is a wonderful neighborhood,” he said. “People you don’t know just offer to help you beautify the neighborhood.”
Neighbors were encouraged to nominate top curb-appeal landscapes and renovations in each of the city’s six neighborhoods. Residents and businesses are eligible to receive only one Evergreen Award in a category.
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