Ontario Professional Planners Institute: Recognizing Excellence

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 8, 2012) - Earlier today, the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) announced the 2012 winners of the Excellence in Planning Awards and Dan Burden was named an Honorary member at a press conference held at Queen's Park, Toronto. The Honorable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure was the special guest speaker.

2012 OPPI Award Winners

The Excellence in Planning Awards recognize innovation, creativity, professionalism, problem-solving, and communications in four categories: urban and community design, planning studies or reports, research/new directions, and communications/public education. These are the best of the best in planning. This year's winners were chosen from many highly qualified entries.

Urban / Community Design

DIALOG Ontario Inc.

Seneca College Campus Master Plan

As the first comprehensive master plan in Seneca College's 44-year history, this plan is positioned to assist the institution in achieving its goals of providing superior quality education and fostering student success. Phased over a 10 to 15 year development period and longer term build out, the plan is intended to serve as a tool for campus administration and faculty. It will guide implementation of three distinct campus plans-Newnham, King and Markham.

Municipal Statutory Planning Studies

City of North Bay: uPlan North Bay

The Development of the City of North Bay's new Official Plan

The City of North Bay's new official plan is premised on the concept of participatory planning and embodies the principles of sustainability and healthy communities. Throughout the process, staff sought to engage the public in meaningful dialogue to enable residents and other stakeholders to shape the plan through all facets of its evolution.

Community Planning & Development

Robert Lehman & Associates

Religious Heritage Resource Management

Management discussion paper and guidelines for alteration and demolition of designated places of worship were prepared in response to changes to The Ontario Heritage Act. The paper seeks to address the impact of the Act on the work of churches in the community. It also assesses the placement of the authority to regulate the design and use of places of worship in the hands of municipal councils. The purpose of the project was to formalize the need to balance heritage preservation and religious needs in the decisions involving heritage preservation.

Communications / Public Education

MTO / Urban Strategies / GHD

Ontario Ministry of Transportation - Transit Supportive Guidelines

The update of the 1992 Ontario Ministry of Transportation's Transit-Supportive Guidelines is a response to new policy frameworks, emerging ideas and lessons from a generation of transit-supportive communities. The expanded guidelines are a distillation of transit-friendly, land use planning, urban design and operational practices. The document includes over 50 guidelines and almost 450 strategies to assist urban planners, transit planners, developers and others in creating an environment that is supportive of transit use and increasing transit ridership.

OPPI encourages people from across Ontario to learn more about these outstanding award winners.

Honorary Member

It is important to recognize the work of non-planners who show an extraordinary interest and concern for the planning profession. Honorary membership also acknowledges their valuable contribution in promoting the importance of planning for healthy and sustainable communities.

Our newest Honorary member is Dan Burden. He is one of the most recognized authorities on walkability, bicycle & pedestrian programs, street corridor & intersection design, traffic flow & calming, and other planning elements that affect roadway environments. Dan Burden works throughout North America in towns and cities promoting neighborhoods that are designed for more active, interactive, and healthy living. To date, he has personally helped more than 3,500 communities.

"I am thrilled that Dan Burden is becoming an Honorary Member of OPPI. I had the pleasure of working with Dan and local community groups on implementing active transportation in the City of Hamilton. Dan's knowledge, skill, and passion for building sustainable communities together with OPPI's leadership on healthy communities in Ontario makes Dan an outstanding choice."

Mary Lou Tanner, MCIP, RPP, OPPI, President

OPPI congratulates our Award winners and extends a warm welcome to Dan Burden. The Institute encourages everyone to learn more about these outstanding projects and initiatives.

The Ontario Professional Planners Institute is the recognized voice of the Province's planning profession. Our almost 4,000 members work in government, private practice, universities, and non-profit agencies in the fields of urban and rural development, urban design, environmental planning, transportation, health, social services, heritage conservation, housing, and economic development. Our Members meet strict practice requirements and are accountable to OPPI and the public to practice ethically and to abide by a Professional Code of Practice. Only Full Members are authorized by the Ontario Professional Planners Institute Act, 1994, to use the title "Registered Professional Planner" (or "RPP"). www.ontarioplanners.on.ca.

For further information: www.ontarioplanners.on.ca/pdf/2012-excellence-in-planning-awards.pdf.