Port Moody won two big awards at the international LivCom Awards (also known as the International Awards for Liveable Communities) announced October 19, 2004.
Port Moody captured first place in the international "Planning for the Future" award (over 50 competing cities included Honolulu, Seattle, Westminster, U.K., Camden, Australia as well as cities from Australia, U.S., Czech Republic, and Ireland). The city also captured third place overall in their population category for the "most liveable community in the world".
"We are thrilled to win third best city in the world for liveability, along with first place internationally for best planning for the future," commented Port Moody Mayor Joe Trasolini. "We've stopped urban sprawl with densification, and we're saving the natural environment, and that helped Port Moody win this international recognition."
Port Moody – also known as ‘City of the Arts’ – was one of 14 finalists in the population category of 20,001–75,000. The LivCom Awards is the only international competition focusing on management of the local environment. Communities from over 50 countries and many different cultures have participated in the annual awards which used to be known as Nations in Bloom.
Port Moody’s many achievements include:
- Highest ratio of parkland per capita in B.C.’s Lower Mainland
- Adoption of the Naturescape program which supports landscaping using indigenous plants to create wildlife habitat in urban areas
- Heritage conservation programs
- Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) Strategy annual environment award
- First community in B.C. to impose pesticide bans
- First community in Canada to adopt a mandatory helmet bylaw for skateboarders
- Strong culture of volunteerism and community participation
- Sound financial planning and economic vitality.
Other finalists in this population category included:
Ballyfermot, Ireland; Camden, Australia; Celje, Slovenia; Coffs Harbour Local Government Area, Australia; Fayetteville, U.S.A.; Municipality of Kamnik, Slovenia; City of Kladno, Czech Republic; Commune of Nabeul, Tunisia; Port Stephens Council Area, Australia; Ptuj, Slovenia; Qian Dao Hu, People’s Republic of China; Salekhard, Russia; Westmont, U.S.A.; Znojmo, Czech Republic.
