Picture: Gary Sissons
Mayor James Dooley and Frankston Council environmental education officer Debbie Coffey know Frankston deserves its ‘Sustainable City of the Year’ win. Picture: Gary Sissons
FRANKSTON is beautiful, no matter what others may say after being named Australia’s most ‘Sustainable City of the Year’ by Keep Australia Beautiful last week.
Judges at the not-for-profit environmental organisation decided Frankston was “a worthy overall national winner” at an awards ceremony hosted by last year’s title holders Brisbane Council.
“The leadership, innovation and passion provided the council, and its collaborations with local community groups, schools and businesses, demonstrates a positive ‘can do’ attitude, and translates into a shared sense of purpose, tangible civic pride and a commitment to a sustainable future,” Australian sustainable cities judge Sean Rooney said.
Frankston represented Victoria after being named the state’s ‘Sustainable City of the Year’ in June.
Mayor Cr James Dooley said being named the nation’s most Sustainable City is a huge honour for Frankston.
“With one thousand households taking part in council’s Halve Our Waste Program, over 20 environmental volunteer groups and thousands of residents and school students undertaking sustainability activities at home and in schools, we really do have an active and engaged community who help keep our corner of Australia beautiful,” Cr Dooley said.
“This award is also due to our city taking a strong position, by aiming for carbon neutrality by 2025 as well as adopting council’s 10-year environment strategy released earlier this year.”
Frankston also won an award for ‘Environmental Sustainability’, recognising sustainable design features of the new Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre (PARC), the recently completed community solar program, council’s commitment to installing solar on their buildings, new ecologically sustainable development (ESD) standards for council buildings, and an alternative energy trial underway at the Frankston Arts Centre.
The new Frankston Regional Recycling and Recovery Centre was also a factor in the win.
Community involvement in friends groups, beach patrol clean ups, anti-graffiti programs and the youth led ‘Fresh Entertainment’ group also impressed the judges.
See the full Australian Sustainable Cities judge report at the Keep Australia Beautiful website at kab.org.au