Simply put, it is appalling the condition Taber is in sometimes, particularly when that first snow melts in the spring.
No, it’s not green grass and the early appearance of flowers that attracts our attention most often, it is the revelation our streets and other areas are flush with trash.
This past spring, Taber Green and Clean noticed this disgusting fact as well, and set to work with about 60 volunteers to clean up a few areas of town.
When all was said and done, a flatdeck was filled with waste, refuse and other garbage left behind by Taberites and perhaps a handful of visitors.
Whatever the case, and wherever all the waste came from, it is shameful our community is used as nothing but a big waste basket by a select, lazy few.
But again, maybe the problem is not just a select few.
If you drive around nearly every area of town, from our commercial core to the community centre area to our sportsfields, for example, is seems trash on the ground is commonplace.
This is simply not the case in other similar-sized communities.
Is it citizens in other towns take more pride in their communities, or do they simply have a more aggressive cleaning schedule?
Whatever the case, Green and Clean is hoping volunteers show up July 20 to do their part to clean up Taber, a day before Communities In Bloom judges are scheduled to visit.
It would certainly help Taber’s reputation if judges saw a clean, well-kept community, but the fact of the matter remains — Taberites need to clean up the other 364 days of the year as well. This community has the potential to look better year round, and not be the butts of jokes because of its appearance.
This  need not stop with a simple clean-up, but should also come in the form of a renewed effort to revitalize downtown and adding commercial development in the Wal-Mart area.
There is much to be done to improve this community, and time still to do it.