MONTREAL, March 18 /CNW Telbec/ - Garden lovers, admirers and
enthusiasts, whether they be from across Canada or around the world, have even
more incentive to travel the VIA Rail Garden Route this summer, as the
program, now in its fourth year, is growing by leaps and bounds. Anchoring the
VIA Rail Garden Route are 15 magnificent Feature Gardens, and 30, 5-Bloom (top
award winning) Communities in Bloom destinations stretching from Vancouver
Island to Halifax.
"In order to increase visitors' level of garden satisfaction, this year,
local garden attractions in each of the Feature Garden destinations have been
added to the VIA Rail Garden Route so that travellers can enjoy the beauty of
a variety of gardens in each city they visit," said Tony DiGiovanni, executive
director of Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association, organizers of
the Garden Route. "VIA has been bringing travellers up close to some of the
most breathtaking views and beautiful landscapes across the country," said
Steve Del Bosco, VIA's chief customer officer. "It was natural for us to
collaborate with some of the country's spectacular gardens by providing a
relaxing and comfortable way for visitors to get there."
From June 12th to September 8th 2009, travellers can take advantage of
VIA's special Garden Route ticket offers to visit any of Canada's best known
public gardens and delightfully floriferous Communities in Bloom destinations.
Visitors to each participating garden along the Garden Route and the
viarail.ca/garden website can enter a contest for the chance to win a
round-trip for two in VIA 1 first class to Montreal in the summer of 2010.
Winners will stay at the Hôtel Place d'Armes in Old Montreal, a 5-bloom
Communities in Bloom destination. At the Montreal Botanical Garden in
Montreal, visitors can fill out ballots for a chance to win a round-trip for
two in VIA 1 first class to Toronto in April 2010. This prize includes two
nights accommodation, tickets to Canada Blooms, 'Total Tower' tickets to the
CN Tower and dinner for two at the CN Tower's 360 Restaurant.
For a complete listing of featured gardens, garden attractions and
Communities in Bloom destinations, visit www.viarail.ca/garden
About Communities in Bloom
Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization committed to
fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through
community involvement and the challenge of a national program. For more
information visit: www.communitiesinbloom.ca
About VIA Rail Canada
As Canada's national passenger rail service, VIA Rail Canada's mandate is
to provide efficient, environmentally sustainable and cost effective passenger
transportation services, both in Canada's business corridor and in remote and
rural regions of the country.
For more information on train schedules or to book a trip in the VIA
system, customers can visit VIA's Web site at viarail.ca. Passengers also can
book their tickets in most Québec City-Windsor Corridor stations, by calling 1
888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245), TTY 1 800 268-9503 (hearing impaired), or
through their travel agent.
For further information: Media Contacts: Carol Cowan, Zebra Promotions
Inc., (416) 929-1066, zebra@passport.ca; Nadia Seraiocco, VIA Rail Canada,
(514) 871-6619, nadia_seraiocco@viarail.ca
