PRESS RELEASE
Xàbia Historica will prize residents for decorating their streets with flowers
The balconies and charming corners competition includes a new street category
Javea. Wednesday, 30 May 2012.
The Xabia Historica business association has opened the registration period for the popular balconies and charming corners contest, a competition that has run successfully for the past three years to encourage residents and business owners of the Old Town of Javea to decorate their homes and businesses with flowers as a means of making their surroundings more attractive.
Jaume Serra, manager of the business association, confirmed that the 2012 contest will be split into awards for individual decorations with a new addition of a contest for whole streets that have at least five balconies or building facades decorated with flowers.
Registration is now open and applications can be made at the headquarters of the association on the first floor of the Centro Social between 9am and 1pm until Monday 11th June. In the case of street applications, only one representative needs to attend. Competitors will receive a discount of 20% at participating garden nurseries - Motgó Verd, Chorro, Toscal, JGPS and Coeta - and will be eligible for prizes of between 300 and 100 Euros for purchases in shops and businesses affiliated to Xàbia Historica.
The jury will make two visits to asses competitors displays; the first on Wednesday 27th June and the second on Wednesday 12th September to check the general health of the plants and ornaments after a long, hot summer. Both Sisco Vallés, president of the business association, and Juan Luis Cardona, the Councillor for Economic Development, encouraged all the residents to participate in this event which will help to improve the image of the Old Town whilst providing a good excuse to socialise and bond with the neighbours.
As a sign of cooperation, the presentation was also attended by Jaume Escudero of the Fogueres Commission, which also holds a decorated streets competition during the festivities of San Juan and has suggested that participants take advantage of the discounts on plants and flowers they receive and compete in both competitions. In return, the business association has decided to complement the Fogueres Commission prizes of 150 Euros and 50 Euros with gift vouchers worth 150 Euros and 75 Euros to acknowledge the contribution to enhance the old town as part of the San Juan fiesta.
Finally, Doris Courcelles, who heads the town's Department of Environment, confirmed that the Town Hall will also decorate its balconies to help improve the overall image of Javea and has suggested that those who do not want to take part in the competition simply place a plant outside their homes. Santiago Thevenet, president of the neighbourhood association of the Old Town of Javea, was also present to support this community-building initiative.
