OSHAWA – The City of Oshawa achieved a gold award at the 2007 International Awards for Liveable Communities. Municipalities who receive a gold award are recognized as being in the top 15 percent in sustainability and liveable communities’ practices world-wide. Oshawa also won third place in its population category of 75,001 – 200,000.
The prestigious international awards for liveable communities are backed by the United Nations Environment Program and focus on the management of the environment and leadership in the enhancement of quality of life.
Oshawa participated in the final stage of LivCom’s Whole City Awards 2007 held in Westminster, London on November 22-26. Oshawa is one of nine finalists in their category and competed against communities from Australia, Canada, England, Hungary, Japan, Spain and the United States.
“I am so very proud of our city,” said Mayor John Gray. “To compete on a global stage and win a gold award at these highly esteemed international awards is a testament to the dedication, ongoing commitment and achievements of the City of Oshawa and our community.”
An international panel of world-renowned judges listened to presentations from more than 50 countries over three days. Oshawa’s delegation included Mayor John Gray, Development Services Commissioner Tom Hodgins and Manager of Parks, Bill Slute.
The Oshawa delegation delivered an impactful and comprehensive multi-media presentation. A video featured two local student ambassadors who provided a virtual tour of Oshawa through the eyes of our youth. The PowerPoint presentation that followed contained over 350 engaging photos which further showcased the community. It also highlighted the City’s dedication and success with respect to the judging criteria: enhancement of the landscape, heritage management, environmentally sensitive practices, community sustainability, healthy lifestyles and planning for the future.
For more details about the awards, visit www.livcomawards.com. For more information about the City of Oshawa, visit www.oshawa.ca.