Gibsons wins 2 global awards

TOWN OF GIBSONS NAMED WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE COMMUNITY BY UNITED NATIONS-ENDORSED LIVCOM AWARDS

Gibsons, British Columbia (Oct. 13th) – The Town of Gibsons has been named the World’s Most Liveable Community with a population of less than 20,000 by the United Nations-endorsed International Awards for Liveable Communities (LivCom).

Yesterday, the Town was recognized with the Gold Award in the “Whole City” category of LivCom, designed to encourage best practice, innovation and leadership in providing a vibrant, environmentally sustainable community that improves quality of life. Communities were judged across six criteria: Enhancement of the Landscape, Heritage Management, Environmentally Sensitive Practices, Community Sustainability, Healthy Lifestyles and Planning for the Future.

“The Town of Gibsons is incredibly honoured to be recognized as the world’s most liveable community with a population of less than 20,000 people,” said Town Mayor Barry Janyk, who was in the Czech Republic for the 13th annual LivCom awards, October 8 to 12.  “This award is a testament to our forward-thinking and sustainable planning when it comes to preparing for our Town’s future growth, and it is extremely exciting to be placed amongst the ranks of some of the world’s greenest communities.”

Other winners of the “Whole City” award were Newark England (population up to 75,000); Melville, Australia (population up to 200,000); Shilong, China (population up to 750,000); and Dalian, China (population over 750,000).

The Town of Gibsons was also recognized with a first place award, among all finalist cities, for outstanding achievement specific to one of the six criteria: “Planning for the Future.”

The awards recognize the Town for projects including the Upper Gibsons Neighbourhood Plan and the Geo-exchange District Energy System. The Upper Gibsons Neighbourhood Plan incorporates guidelines for the conservation of energy, water and land; promotion of alternate forms of transportation and social interactions; and allows for a wide cross-section of occupants in terms of age, incomes and stages of life. The planned Geo-exchange District Energy System, the first-of-its-kind in North America, will capture renewable energy from heat exchangers in the ground on municipally owned green space. The system will pump heat from the ground to residential and commercial buildings.

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Paul Gipps
Chief Administrative Officer
Town of Gibsons
604-886-2274
pgipps@gibsons.ca

(photo source: http://www.lotuslandrealestate.com)