Celebrating excellence in brownfield redevelopment by transforming contaminated sites into “great places,” the 13th annual CUI Brownie Awards recognized winners in seven categories from across Canada for their leadership, innovation and commitment to building sustainable communities.
“Even though the technical aspects of brownfield redevelopment have largely been overcome since the CUI Brownie Awards were launched, success execution and implementation still requires a high degree of skill,” said Glenn Miller, Vice President, Education and Research with the CUI. “This year’s finalists and winners come from five different provinces and are a tribute to the high quality of design and technical expertise across the country.”
The CUI Brownie Award for Best Overall Project went to the CIBC Pan Am and Parapan Am Athlete’s Village/ Canary District from Toronto. The project is a partnership between the Province of Ontario and Dundee Kilmer Developments Limited that significantly accelerates the development of a long underutilized area. The jury noted that the project will have long-lasting positive impacts on the local economy.
The CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory in Hamilton was chosen as the Best Large-Scale Project, while the Baggage Building Arts Centre at Prince Arthur’s Landing in Thunder Bay received Best Small Scale Project.
The jury recognized the In-Situ Soil Remediation/Green Remediation (SISSR) Project in Bilthoven, Utrecht, the Netherlandsfor a special International Brownie. Bonnie Prior, past president of the Canadian Brownfield Network (CBN), was declared the Brownfielder of the Year. The jury noted that Bonnie has been instrumental in raising the awareness and increasing acceptance of brownfields as mainstream development opportunities by the commercial real estate industry.
Category-specific awards were also announced:
Category 1 – Legislation, Policy and Program Development: From the Ground Up – Assessing the Risks and Maximizing the Benefits of Gardening on Urban Soils (Toronto, Ontario)
Category 2 – Sustainable Remediation Technologies and Technological Innovation: Thorold Park Redevelopment (Thorold, Ontario)
Category 3 – Financing, Risk Management and Partnerships: Downtown/West Harbourfront Remediation Loan Pilot Program (Hamilton, Ontario)
Category 4 – Excellence in Project Development – Building Scale: Nova Scotia Power Corporate Headquarters (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Category 5 – Excellence in Project Development – Neighbourhood Scale: Whitehorse Waterfront Revitalization (Whitehorse, Yukon Territory)
Category 6 – Communications, Marketing and Public Engagement: City of Langley Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy (Langley, BC)
Category 7 – Individual Achievement: Bonnie Prior, Executive Director, Appraisal Institute of Canada and Past President of the Canadian Brownfield Network (CBN)
The CUI Brownie Awards jury comprises representatives from the Canadian Brownfields Network, the Canadian Institute of Planners, Ontario Association of Architects, Ontario Professional Planners Institute, Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario, Federation of Canadian Municipalities; and ReNew Canada.
For more details on these projects and the other finalists, please visit https://canurb.org/awards or contact Glenn Miller, Vice President of Education and Research with the Canadian Urban Institute at 416.365.0816 x284.