SURREY - Nominations are open for the second edition of City Awards, and the city wants to hear from residents.
The awards acknowledge business and community leaders who have made a contribution in a given field.This time around, there are six categories: Heritage in the City Awards, NewCity Design Award, Clean Energy City Award, Beautiful City Award, Heart in the City Awards and Green City Award.Nominations opened April 22 and close June 23.There are two nomination categories within the Heritage in the City Award - preservation, as well as education and interpretation.The NewCity Design Award recognizes Surrey's accomplishments in city buildings, including architecture, landscape, urban design and infrastructure.There are eight categories for the design award: small/medium/large residential, commercial, government/institutional, landscape/public space/infrastructure, renovation/adaptive re-use and interiors.A distinguished jury will select winners in this category, and those on the panel include Rob Barnes (Perry + Associates Landscape Architecture), Ryan Bragg (Perkins + Will Canada Co.) and Stuart Lyons (GBL Architects).The Clean Energy City Award will recognize forward-thinking individuals and organizations working to reduce energy consumption and increase energy conservation. The city has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the community 33 per cent per capita by 2020 and 80 per cent per capita by 2050. Through this award, the city will celebrate people and ideas that enable the change.Eligible projects could include education or public awareness programs, resourcesharing programs such as carpooling, or energy conservation in business operations.The Beautiful City Award recognizes residents, community groups, organizations and businesses that make outstanding contributions towards the beautification and improvement of Surrey's public spaces. Eligible projects could include campaigns to clean up or beautify areas within the city or improvements made to landscaping. This award has a community/resident category, as well as a business/institutional category.The Heart in the City Award recognizes people, community groups and businesses that help to reduce poverty or improve the quality of life for vulnerable populations, or strengthen the community in another way.There is a group, individual and lifetime achievement category.Finally, the Green City Award recognizes contribution of people, groups and businesses that inspire and go beyond what is expected of them to enhance Surrey's natural environment. There is an individual, group and business category.The program was first launched in 2011, and this year will be the second edition.For more details, visit Surrey.ca/community/8990.aspx.Nominations may be submitted online, mailed or dropped off at city hall (13450 104 Ave.).In addition to the City Awards program, Surrey also holds the Civic Treasures, Good Citizen and Youth Recognition awards.