CUI recognizes brownfield projects across Canada with 2009 Brownie Awards (October 27, 2009)
This past Monday evening, awards were presented in seven categories at the 9th annual CUI Brownie Awards. Dino Chiesa, chairman of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), announced winners from five provinces across Canada, representing the national scope of the redevelopment and remediation of Canadian communities. “Like gold medal-winning performances, brownfield developments are the result of years of dedication and hard work,” said Chiesa, underlined the importance of the evening’s theme. “And like Canadian athletes who we know will bring home gold this winter, brownfield projects create a legacy for future generations.”
The CUI Brownie Awards are sponsored by CMHC, and are awarded annually to projects and programs that reflect leadership and innovation in brownfield redevelopment. The Brownie Awards jury was once again impressed with the high calibre of finalists’ projects, as well as their commitment to sustainable design, overall community revitalization and renewal of the public realm.
For the first time ever, a Jury’s Choice Award was awarded to La Promenade Samuel-De Champlain from Quebec, Quebec. This 2.5 km promenade is an exemplary model of sustainability and has become one of the city’s cultural hubs.
Pearl District from Portland, Oregon won a Special Recognition CUI Brownie for the comprehensive revitalization of the Pearl District through the systematic redevelopment and realignment of brownfield sites to create a walkable, attractive downtown neighbourhood.
Southeast False Creek, the outstanding Olympic project which is targeting LEED Gold certification on the neighbourhood scale, brought home the CUI Brownie Award for Best Overall Project.
Other winners included the Collingwood Shipyards project in Collingwood, Ontario for Best Large-Scale Project; and both Somerset Square from Saint John, New Brunswick and Grey Bruce Health Unit from Owen Sound, Ontario for Best Small-Scale Project. The award for Brownfielder of the Year went to Tammy Lomas-Jylhä, the VP of Sustainable Remediation and Brownfield Services at OCETA for her contribution to sustainable development on brownfield sites over the past decade.
2009 Category-specific awards were awarded to the following projects:
Category 1 – Legislation, Policy and Program Development
BC Brownfield Renewal Strategy, Victoria, British Columbia
Category 2 – Sustainable Remediation Technologies and Technological Innovation
Sustainable Remediation of a Former Petroleum Products Depot, Victoriaville, Quebec
Cateory 3 – Financing, Risk Management and Partnerships
Redevelopment at Hamilton General Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario
Category 4 – Excellence in Project Development: Building Scale
Manitoba Hydro Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Category 5 – Excellence in Project Development: Neighborhood Scale
E&N Roundhouse, Victoria, British Columbia
Category 6 – Communications, Marketing and Public Engagement
Identification of Niagara’s Top Brownfield Redevelopment Opportunities, Niagara Economic Development Corporation and Region of Niagara, Ontario
Category 7 – Individual Achievement
Tammy Lomas-Jylhä