City recognizes green initiatives with Environmental Excellence Award

The City of Ottawa announced the winners of the 2015 Environmental Excellence Awards during a special presentation today at the City’s Environment Committee. This year’s winners were chosen from a total of nine nominated projects that featured the work of 75 employees. ** ** The team of City employees responsible for the Churchill Avenue Rehabilitation Project , Ottawa’s first “complete street” designed to meet the needs of all users, was presented the award for excellence in the community category by Environmental Committee Chair David Chernushenko. The team designed improved street lighting, traffic control signals, traffic calming measures, concrete curbs and sidewalks, streetscaping and utilities relocation for the 1.2 kilometre roadway.  Implemented as part of a coordinated roadway reconstruction project, the street’s physically separated raised bike lanes are a design solution new to much of North America.  This design enhances safety and comfort for cyclists by separating them from faster, larger and heavier motor vehicle traffic and provides a sustainable transportation option for residents, helping to create a more liveable, healthier and vibrant city.

The award for excellence in the internal category was presented to the Lansdowne Redevelopment Team for their commitment to finding innovative ways to reduce the corporate footprint in the design and construction of the Lansdowne Park redevelopment project. Team members employed several creative design elements and community features that reflect best practices in urban development. They worked together to create an urban destination that increases recreation and green space in the urban core, is accessible by many modes of transportation, preserves and enhances visitors’ understanding of local heritage and culture, and exemplifies the City’s commitment to environmental sustainability. ** ** “It is a pleasure to present these awards for excellence to two exemplary teams that have demonstrated strong leadership and a commitment to excellence that has increased the sustainability and reduced the environmental impact of two major City projects,” said Chair Chernushenko. “The success of these projects is the result of exceptional leadership, innovation and diligent project coordination by City staff, which has benefited the residents of Ottawa and the environment.”

Two of the nominated projects also received honourable mention during the awards ceremony. The Community Tree Planting Team was recognized for their leadership in helping the City of Ottawa achieve its urban and rural reforestation objectives of increasing forest cover and counteracting the impacts of the Emerald Ash Borer. Also receiving an honourable mention in the Community category was the team responsible for the 2014 Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan update. The plan was initiated at the Greenhouse Gas Roundtable held in 2013, where more than 200 participants provided ideas and input regarding potential actions that could be undertaken to mitigate and adapt to climate change. City Council approved an update to the existing plan in 2014 to set the course for how the City of Ottawa will address climate change over the next 20 years.

The annual Environmental Excellence Award honours the innovation, leadership and efforts of employees who have made significant contributions in advancing the City’s commitment to a greener and more environmentally friendly and sustainable municipality.