FRANKSTON has been named Victoria’s Sustainable City of the Year. The award was presented at this year’s Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria Sustainable Cities Awards ceremony by acting environment minister Gavin Jennings.
The city was nominated for 10 categories and won in the Young Leaders category: Fresh Entertainment, and the Clean Beach/Waterway category: Frankston Waterfront Festival.
Frankston received high commendations in the community action and leadership category with the Wells St Farmers Market; the litter prevention category with Residents against Graffiti in Ashleigh Av, and the Environmental Sustainability category, with Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre.
Frankston mayor Cr Sandra Mayer said the accolades were a huge honour and testament to the city taking a strong position, for example, by aiming for carbon neutrality by 2025, as well as adopting a 10-year environment strategy.
“Council is proud to be running such high-calibre services, and innovative projects and events aimed at improving the sustainability of Frankston City,” she said. “The community has also played an important role, with their hard work and dedication recognised in many of the projects.”
The awards recognise and celebrate positive actions taken by individuals, councils, environmental groups, schools, students and local community groups.
Mr Jennings said projects undertaken this year were critical components of Frankston’s plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve a goal of carbon neutrality by 2025. Last year, the council launched a 10-year Environmental Strategy outlining a range of corporate and community-based initiatives to achieve the target.
One of the initiatives was Halve Our Waste, which engaged 1000 households and schools to halve their waste going to landfill using such measures as composting and worm farms.
The Peninsula Aquatic and Recreation Centre also has been designed with environmentally sustainable design principles, including a plant that generates energy using waste heat from the pool water, and a 400,000 litre rainwater tank services toilets and irrigation.
“Without the hard work carried out by community groups, local governments, schools and passionate individuals, we would not have the sustainable and litter-free environments we have today,” Mr Jennings said. “This is a fantastic achievement by Frankston and everyone involved in the success of these projects which benefit all Victorians.”
Frankston will represent Victoria at the Keep Australia Beautiful National Sustainable Cities Awards this year. See sustainability.vic.gov.au