For the individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to the public real over many years and in more than one field, thereby gaining reputation and acclaim for their vision, passion and impact.
The Honourable Michael Harcourt
Mike Harcourt has always had his eye on cities. He has held significant urban posts his entire adult life and his interest in civil society, urban design, conservation and sustainable development have made him the leader he is today in advancing livability in our cities.
A tremendously successful, articulate Mayor of Vancouver for three terms (1980-1986), Mr. Harcourt played a prominent role in establishing Vancouver as one of the world's most livable cities through effective land use and planning. Then, as the 30th Premier of British Columbia (1991-1996), he extended the boundaries of quality of life in urban areas, with the 1995 Growth Strategy Act. Among his many noteworthy achievements at that time was his success in safeguarding more than 12 percent of the province's land base, establishing 500 new protected areas, through the CORE and the Land and Resource Management Plan land use planning processes.
After retiring from politics, Mr. Harcourt made headlines in 2002, when a devastating six-metre fall left him partially paralyzed. He has shown incredible physical, emotional and spiritual strength in his remarkable recovery, and later published a book about his ordeal called Plan B - One Man's Journey from Tragedy to Triumph.
In 2003, as a self-described "recovering politician," Mr. Harcourt was appointed Federal Commissioner on the British Columbia Treaty Commission. His commitment to the treaty process is long-standing; as Premier in 1992, he signed the agreement establishing the Commission - the neutral body responsible for facilitating treaty negotiations among the governments of Canada, B.C. and First Nations in B.C.
Mr. Harcourt was appointed Co-Chair of UN-HABITAT World Urban Forum III Advisory Committee in 2004. WUF III takes place this June in Vancouver in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the landmark Habitat Conference in 1976 that inaugurated international cooperation on human settlement problems.
He has served on the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, chairing the Urban Sustainability Program and serving on the Executive Committee, to which he contributed a unique urban perspective. Mr. Harcourt currently chairs the Prime Minister's External Advisory Committee on Cities and Communities.
Following his accident, Mr. Harcourt has become actively involved in spinal cord research and education, working with the Rick Hansen Man in Motion Foundation on International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (I-CORD) and chairing the Spinal Cord Injury Quality of Life Advisory Group. "After the accident," he said, "I became much more committed to the issues of the disabled in a way that I would never have imagined when I was going through Plan A."
Mike Harcourt currently is Honorary Chair of the International Centre for Sustainable Cities, whose practical demonstration projects show how to implement urban sustainability. The ICSC also creates and supports peer networks to share learning and disseminate ideas and engages in high profile events to galvanize action on urban sustainability.
In addition, he is Honorary Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and speaks and advises internationally on sustainability solutions.
Mr. Harcourt has a BA and an LLB from the University of British Columbia. He also has Honourary Doctors of Laws from Royal Roads University, Simon Fraser University, the University of Northern B.C. and Okanagan University College. In May 2003, he won the J.B. Harkin Medal Award, conservation of nature, followed by the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service in September 2005.
His is the story of a man with incredible determination and vision, in every forum of his life. Utmost among Mr. Harcourt's many achievements, though, is his legacy of great cities and immense hope for the future of civil society. Mike Harcourt is to be congratulated for his profound and lasting influence in the public realm.
City
Renewal Activities
that renew, revitalize and restore our cities through advocacy
that shapes policy on major urban issues, thereby promoting
attitudinal change, encouraging public participation and
transforming our urban landscape for future generations.
Benny
Farm Task Force Montreal's Benny Farm Task Force has made an outstanding
contribution in the revitalization of Montreal's NDG
district and their work has helped advance urban development
policies in Canada. The group of 10 citizens was formed
by Canada Lands Company CLC Ltd. in 2002, to reach a
community consensus on a redevelopment plan for the Benny
Farm site, an 18-acre housing complex built in 1946 to
house the families of soldiers returning from WWII. The
task force's comprehensive approach has become a model
of sustainable urban development in complex environments.
The lessons learned from this experience have had a tremendous
impact on CLC's practices across Canada. The City of
Montreal cites Benny Farm as a model community consultation
process for harmonious integration of social and non-profit
housing in large redevelopment projects. As a landmark
project in Montreal and one of the most innovative urban
developments in Canada, the Benny Farm redevelopment
process is now used as a case study by many universities
across Canada, and will undoubtedly influence future
generations of planners and project leaders. For further
information, visit www.bennyfarm.org; www.clc.ca/en/or/successStories/bennyFarm.php and www.homebuildercanada.com/1805profile.htm
Benny Farm Task Force
Standing from left to right Metu Belatchew, Gail Tedstone,
Zane Korytko, Necdet Kendir, Linda Schachtler, Miriam
Green, Arlyle Waring, Ghislaine Prata, Rosemary Bradley,
Ken Briscoe. Also in the photo, sitting from left to
right Jacques Bénard,
Urban Development Consultant for Canada Lands Company,
and Jim Lynes, Acting President and CEO of Canada
Lands Company. www.bennyfarm.org
City
Soul Pursuits that inspire, inform, enrich and engage
our collective spirits whether through the arts, entertainment,
heritage programs, sport and recreation, cultural exchange,
or other initiatives.
Dr.
Peter Simon Dr. Peter Simon, President of the Royal Conservatory
of Music (RCM), has made an extraordinary contribution
to Toronto's cultural life through his passionate advocacy
of the arts over the past 15 years. He believes firmly
that arts activities are the best way to foster creativity
and innovation in all areas and thus are an indispensable
element in the future success of our nation. A phenomenal
fund-raiser, Dr. Simon has transformed the RCM into one
of Toronto's most vibrant and socially relevant arts
organizations, whose reach extends beyond the city to
the rest of Canada and the world.
He has broadened the Conservatory's
programs to address a number of broad social issues,
including early childhood development, the improvement
of our public education system, the quality of education
in aboriginal communities and the participation by all
Canadians in creative activity. Today, the RCM is an
international leader in educational content development,
public school enrichment programs, professional development
for teachers and artists, performance training, examinations
and publishing.
Dr. Simon's vision to
create a centre that would foster a culture of creativity
in Canada inspired the RCM's Building National Dreams
Campaign. This initiative will restore its Victorian
home in Toronto and expand it to create an international-caliber
performing arts and education facility. His dedication
has resulted in immense success for the campaign. By
June 2005, it had reached its $60-million fundraising
goal - a year ahead of schedule. As a result, the Conservatory
launched the second phase of its campaign and will complete
the development of their entire site in one continuous
process.
Robert
Sirman For the past 30 years, Robert Sirman has shown vision
and passion in shaping cultural policy, providing leadership
to the arts and philanthropic sectors, and most recently
masterminding one of the country's most successful cultural
infrastructure projects ever.
Mr. Sirman helped establish
Ontario's first ministry of culture in 1975, moved to
the Ontario Arts Council as Director of Operations and
Director of Research and Policy Planning, then joined
Canada's National Ballet School (NBS) as Administrative
Director in 1991. Since then, he's stabilized the School's
finances and instituted corporate practices that allow
NBS to focus fully on what it does best: train dancers
and dance teachers.
Perhaps Mr. Sirman's greatest
contribution to both NBS and the broader community is
Project Grand Jeté, NBS's capital expansion
project to build facilities equivalent to the School's
world class programs, while playing a significant role
in city building. The project integrates new, adaptive
reuse and restored heritage structures on two sites to
create a distinctive urban campus. Built in tandem with
Context Development's Radio City, the mixed-use
development formed by the two properties creates a single
landmark development that contributes to the intensification
of the urban fabric and the revitalization of the area.
In November 2005, at the opening of the NBS's new Jarvis
Street campus, Mr. Sirman was honoured by having a street
- Sirman Lane - named after him. Email Mr. Sirman at: rsirman@nbs-enb.ca.
City
Livability Actions that make our cities more livable from
finding new ways and means to improve our healthcare, education
and the environment to enhancing public places and spaces
and instilling confidence about our personal safety and
security.
Steven
W. Peck As founder and president of Green Roofs for Healthy
Cities (GRHC), the North American green roof industry
association, Steven Peck has worked tirelessly to make
communities more livable within the Toronto Region and
across North America. Since 1999, GRHC has grown to over
1,700 individual and 40 corporate members and has made
tremendous progress in advancing the Canadian green roof
industry. Its mission is to increase awareness of the
economic, social and environmental benefits of green
roof infrastructure across the continent, while developing
the market for related products and services. This is
being achieved through the development of a professional
accreditation program and helping governments obtain
such benefits as stormwater management cost savings,
reducing combined sewer overflow events, reducing air
pollution, conserving energy, moderation of the urban
heat island by reducing air conditioning, biodiversity,
urban agriculture and aesthetic benefits. See www.greenroofs.org for
more details or call 416-971 4494.
Mr. Peck also publishes
the New Urban Agenda, an online journal of leading
sustainability case studies, and writes extensively on
urban sustainability.
He is Chair and co-founder of the community-based Friends
of the Don East
(FODE) and is also a co-founder of Young Environmental
Professionals (YEP),
which provides networking opportunities. In 1996, Mr.
Peck founded the
Canadian Eco-Industrial Network, which later merged with
a U.S. organization
to become the Eco-Industrial Development Council, where
he serves on the board.
10,000
Trees Project The 10,000 Trees Project is a not-for-profit environmental
initiative begun in Waterloo in 2000 by concerned volunteers.
It seeks to reforest designated growth areas, planting
10,000 trees in Waterloo over 10 years. Since its inception,
the project has been the driving force in forming partnerships
with various organizations to reforest areas of the city.
Planting events always involve more than 100 local volunteers,
bringing together people from service clubs, local corporations,
boy scouts, schoolchildren, neighbors of the planting area
and many more. The plantings are always native trees and
shrubs. The project has resulted in the City of Waterloo
receiving recognition from provincial and national organizations,
including an international Gold Medal Award in 2003 from
the Liveable Communities Competition. In addition to teaching
people how to plant and care for trees, as well as the
benefits of trees, the project is also an environmental
leader and is being replicated across Canada, with numerous
communities and agencies interested in creating local chapters
of 10,000 Trees. Call founder Mark Whaley at 519-886-4774
or visit 10000trees.org.
City
Initiatives Innovative
initiatives,
within
the
past
three
years,
that
should
make
a
significant
impact
on
the
public
realm.
Michael
(Pinball) Clemons & the Toronto Argonauts Michael "Pinball" Clemons has become a
household name as much for his tireless community work
as for his role as the Toronto Argonauts' head coach.
Last August, Mr. Clemons and the Argos launched the "Stop
the Violence
- We Are Toronto" campaign in response to the recent
spate of violence in Toronto, and have been overwhelmed
ever since at the public's response. Encouraging grassroots
support, business sponsorship and the active participation
of communities, schools and government, Stop the Violence
aims to respond to the violence with constructive action
and to strengthen the city's resolve. The thousands of
hits on its website ( www.stoptheviolence.ca ) and hundreds
of calls they've received are testament to the fact that
the initiative's time is right. In February 2006, Stop
the Violence granted $100,000 in total to four community-based
organizations committed to ending gun and gang violence
in the GTA - Leave Out ViolencE, the Ontario Gang Investigators
Association, the East Metro Youth Services - Violence
Intervention Program and Project Peace - The Students
Commission. In 2006, Stop the Violence will focus on
awareness, mentorship and education and has committed
to raising another $500,000. A Stop the Violence community
walk is also being planned for June.
PACT
Youth Crime Reduction Program PACT (Participation, Acknowledgment, Commitment
and Transformation - the stages of the healing
process for offenders and their victims) was founded
in 1995 by businessmen David Lockett (PACT President)
and Dan Cornacchia. After creating the Redwood Shelter
for abused women and children in Toronto's Parkdale in
the early 1990s, which has now helped more than 4,000
people, they decided to create a program that would break
the cycle of violence in our homes and communities. PACT
was designed to do just that, while decreasing the burden
on the courts and dramatically reducing youth crime in
the greater Toronto area. It focuses on positively changing
the behavior of young people who have been charged and
convicted of both violent and non-violent criminal acts.
The PACT program is unique in its approach, striving
to reach youth early; focus on healing and empowering
victims; and ensuring accountability for offenders. PACT
is strongly supported by the community and was endorsed
by the UN Secretary General's Study on Violence Against
Children. It relies almost entirely on volunteers and
has built up a roster of scores of committed citizens.
As of January 2006, PACT had reached 900 referrals since
its inception. Contact Mr. Lockett at 416-256-0726 or David@pactprogram.ca or
visit www.pactprogram.ca.
City
Youth Outstanding contributions to any aspect of the
public realm made by individuals under age 30.
Jamal
Clarke A well-known activist and visionary leader among
youth, both in his Jane-Finch community of Toronto and
across the broader Greater Toronto Area, Jamal Clarke
founded Friends in Trouble Youth Initiative (FIT) in
2004 and is its executive director. The grassroots youth
organization is dedicated to making a difference in the
lives of marginalized individuals.
FIT acts as a mediator between kids and the community,
between the community and the police, and between institutions
and the community. Through FIT, Mr. Clarke has reached
out to hundreds of youth at rallies and through sports
and the arts, as well as through providing supports to
individuals facing challenges in their lives. At the
same time, Mr. Clarke studies Criminology at York University
and serves as the youth adviser to local city councilors.
He's also a frequent spokesperson for youth in working
with community agencies, which look to him for insights
into young peoples' lives and needs. Over the past few
years, Mr. Clarke has become an important and life-altering
inspiration to his African-Canadian peers and other groups
of marginalized individuals. As well, FIT provides a
venue for people who may not be marginalized to get involved
and give back to the community. Contact Mr. Clarke at
416-887-4664 or at friendsintrouble@hotmail.com.
Subria
Lapps During her years at Ajax High School, Subria Lapps
was a key player in numerous school initiatives. She
organized many student conferences, represented her school
at a video conference on the United Nations (UN) in a
Troubled World human rights video conference, participated
in National Children's Day in Ottawa and took part in
a War-Affected Children's Conference at the UN in New
York City. Always a leader and involved in making her
community a better place, Ms Lapps has been involved
in campaigns to raise awareness about violence against
women and raised funds for a local women's and children's
shelter. At the same time, she worked part-time as a
Youth Leader for the town of Ajax, and as a private tutor
for children. She has been recognized by the community
many times for her significant efforts and is currently
studying Political Science at Morgan State University
in Maryland. She is also the secretary and outstanding
member of the Research Team, a branch of the Student
Government that addresses the concerns of staff and students
working to improve the university's climate. Ms Lapps
is also a member of the National Council of Negro Women,
whose primary objective is to empower and provide community
service. This summer, she will be volunteering with the
Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, gaining experience
in the non-profit and legal field. Finally, upon the
completion of her degree, she plans to become an international
human rights lawyer. You can reach Ms Lapps at 443-885-7633
or at subria_lapps@hotmail.com.
Subria
Lapps
Local
Heroes Individuals who have had a profound and lasting
impact on the quality of life in their community or neighbourhood.
Edwin
Bennett The two and a half years Woodstock, Ontario native
Edwin Bennett spent as a prisoner of war, after the 1942
Allied landing at Dieppe, helped him pinpoint what mattered
to him most. He decided it was without a doubt his wife,
Lee, his family and his community. Back in Woodstock,
Mr. Bennett became an insurance agent, then manager,
until retiring in 1979. During his career, he showed
originality, persistence and energy - traits he would
continue to display on his community's behalf for decades
more. For years, Mr. Bennett worked behind the scenes
for the Woodstock Little Theatre, which his late wife
and life partner helped found in 1935. He was also an
avid athlete well into his 80s. In 1931, he was on the
Woodstock Grads when they won the Canadian Junior Rugby
Football championship, defeating the Moose Jaw Maroons,
14-13. Mr. Bennett co-founded the Woodstock Ski Club
and continued to ski into his 80s. He also chaired the
Woodstock Arena Board and Recreation Commission for many
years. As Mr. Bennett neared retirement, he pursued his
lifelong interest in local history, dedicating over 30
years of volunteer work to research, promote and preserve
local heritage. He became first vice president of the
Oxford Historical Society, then President in 1977 and
has remained its honorary president since 1989. Mr. Bennett
helped found the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory
Committee in Woodstock, through whose work 16 public
and private buildings in Woodstock had been designated
as historic by 1984.
Diane
Dupuy Diane Dupuy is the President and founder of the internationally
acclaimed Famous PEOPLE Players, a professional black-light
theatre troupe consisting mainly of people who are developmentally
challenged. For Ms Dupuy and her company, community is
key, as she demonstrates through her commitment to giving
people a chance to build skills and contribute to society.
She founded the company in 1974 and her career highlights
include performances on Broadway, with Liberace in Las
Vegas and at the Shamrock Summit for President Reagan,
to name a few. Ms Dupuy has won numerous awards for her
innovative achievements in the arts. She was appointed
to the Order of Canada in 1982, spoke alongside Al Gore
and was the first Canadian to receive the Library of
Congress Award. She has also received the Vanier Award
and honourary degrees from the Universities of Windsor,
Calgary, Trent and Brock plus an Honourary Law Degree
from the University of Toronto. In 1982, Famous PEOPLE
Players was the first Western act to tour the People's
Republic of China, by special invitation of the government
of China. Since then, they've performed across Asia,
the US, Canada, and South America. In 1999, the company
celebrated its 25th anniversary. Ms Dupuy is author
of four best-selling books, including a children's book.
This spring marks the release of her newest book, A
Journey with the Teacher and the Soul. (www.fpp.org)
Joe
Lobko Joe Lobko, the past chair of the Toronto Society
of Architects, has been a committed advocate for excellence
in architecture and urban design in the City of Toronto
through both his practice and the many volunteer efforts
he has undertaken. Mr. Lobko taught in the design studios
of the University of Toronto School of Architecture from
1984 to 1997 and has been a sole practitioner since 1995.
He has focused his practice on the community and the
non-profit sector, with a significant emphasis on volunteer
work aimed at improving the culture of architecture and
design in the Toronto area. Many of his projects have
explored new territory, including the award-winning L'Arche
Dayspring Chapel; the first legal live/work project in
the City of Toronto for Toronto Artscape; serving as
professional advisor for the first affordable housing
design competition in the Regent Park renewal initiative;
and his participation in the drafting of an urban design
plan for the West Don Lands brownfield site. Mr. Lobko
is currently a member of the Mayor's Beautiful City Roundtable
and participant in a number of ongoing TSA initiatives,
including a TSA Toronto Guide Map Series, and support
for policy improvements related to design and sustainability
in our ever-growing city. (www.lobkoarchitect.ca)
Rev.
Don Meredith An outspoken advocate against crime and the advancement
of a just society, Rev. Don Meredith has been fearless
in standing up for the betterment of the African-Canadian
Community and Toronto as a whole. Rev. Meredith is Chair
of the GTA Faith Alliance and has been a strong and dedicated
community worker - a leader in organizing and mobilizing
community action in the fight against gun and youth violence,
especially in the black community. Rev. Meredith has
organized a number of peace rallies in the Malvern and
Rexdale communities, has participated in various town
hall meetings and actively participated in such events
as Black History Month and the International Day for
Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Rev. Meredith serves
as co-chair of the Black Community Police Consultative
Committee, member of the Toronto Police Service Chief's
Advisory Council, member of the York Regional Community
Police Liaison, member of the RCMP Consultative Committee.
Rev. Meredith is completing his ministerial ordination
as he establishes a church in Richmond Hill. His unflagging
work with various police services to promote peace and
a safe community earned him the title of Honorary Detective
of the Toronto Police Service in 2005. In short, Rev.
Meredith excels at organizing and bringing people together
for the benefit of the community.
Mary
M. Pocius In the early 1990s, Hamilton's downtown was in decline,
with many empty storefronts, a dwindling population and
one-way streets directing traffic right through the downtown.
Today, thanks in large part to Mary M. Pocius's efforts,
things are very different. As Executive Director of the
International Village Business Improvement Area since
1989, Ms Pocius joined with the Hamilton Society of Architects
to organize the Hamilton Downtown Ideas Charrette, which
generated recommendations for major, incremental change.
Since then, as Chair of the Central Area Plan Implementation
Committee (CAPIC), Ms Pocius has had a role in almost
every policy change that has benefited the downtown in
the past decade. These include the Downtown Secondary
Plan; the Downtown Transportation Master Plan; the Downtown
Enterprise Zone; Multiple Tax categories; and the Downtown
Residential Loan Program. She has also taken advantage
of the public realm improvements to her area by organizing
the annual Mustard Festival celebrating a local international
mustard miller. It attracts thousands of people to Hamilton's
downtown every Labour Day weekend. Through her love of
Hamilton, her patience and her hard work, Ms Pocius has
provided the leadership both behind the scenes and up
front that has guided the changes necessary to start
the renewal of downtown Hamilton. (www.hamiltoninternationalvillage.ca)
James
Sneep Staff Inspector James Sneep has been called a visionary
and a pioneer. Throughout his long and distinguished career
in Toronto Police Service (TPS), Mr. Sneep has been a determined
champion for community policing and crime prevention activities.
He began community policing initiatives long before the
concept had truly taken hold in Toronto. In 1992, Mr. Sneep
started the "Preventative Policing Aiding Education" program
with three school boards, students, parents and educators
for crime prevention and community relations with the schools.
Since then, he's initiated many others, including Race
for Race with North York high schools to eliminate racial
discrimination; Bowling for Roywoods, a program for 8-12-year-olds
to help Roywood Park residents reclaim their community
from drug dealers; Students with a Target (SWAT), an anti-violence
campaign in 19 North York schools, which evolved into the
Empowered Student Partnership program (ESP), one of Canada's
largest school safety programs, linking police advisers
with students and teachers for safe schools. He is currently
the second in Command of the Toronto Police Service Community
Mobilization Unit, responsible for developing meaningful
programs and partnerships to reduce crime and calls for
service throughout Toronto. The issues it deals with include
domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, volunteers,
mental health, crime prevention and youth. Mr. Sneep is
also the TPS Police Liaison to the ProAction Cops and Kids
board of directors. Call Mr. Sneep at 416-808-7081 or email
him at james.sneep@torontopolice.on.ca.
