Archived Article: Nations in Bloom 2000 Qualification for the City of Toronto

TORONTO GOES TO THE NATIONS IN BLOOM CONTEST IN JAPAN

The City of Toronto has been advised by letter that the city has qualified as a finalist in the Nations in Bloom contest being held February 10-14 2000 in Hamamatsu, Japan . Toronto competes with Novgorod in Russia, Salvador in Brazil, and Quingg Dao City in China. It promises to be a very exciting contest as each of these cities has tackled major problems with a great deal of ingenuity, and competition is fierce. 


There will be a 35 minute presentation to the judges which will include a video and up to 20 overhead slides. The written portion has already been reviewed by the judges: it provided the basis for being selected as a finalist. Toronto's elegant presentation was prepared by Leslie Coates of the Parks and Recreation Division and featured on the cover gorgeous photographs of the High Park black oak savannah and the glorious wild lupine colony that has been re-established there. Inside the booklet-format presentation was an introduction that gave a general overview of the city, paying particular attention to the beauty of the ravines that flank our six rivers. Topics covered included heritage building management, the details of environmentally sensitive practices used in Metro, the different sorts of community involvement, landscape enhancements (special usage parks etc) and the long range planning for the future. These five elements of the judging criteria carry even marks. At the final presentation, the community as a whole is considered-not just particular and exceptional projects within the municipality. 
These contests are important because the liveable city is the future for most of humanity. Sharing technology and motivation will help us to develop cities that are healthy and satisfying places to live. 


written by Fiona Campbell, for Barbara Clark, Parks and Forestry Advisory Board Chairperson: 232-2243 for details.