SPUR Presentation

Earlier in September, Cochrane had a chance to showcase its sustainability achievements at an important conference in Ottawa.  It was an opportunity to share successes with other communities – and to learn from their experiences, as well.

Vancouver-based Sustainable Cities is a leader in the sustainability community.  The group was established in 1993 to bring the idea of urban sustainability into practical action.  Through the use of demonstration projects, peer learning networks and international events and partnerships, Sustainable Cities acts as a partnership between government, the private sector and civil society organizations.

This year, their biennial conference was held in Ottawa – and representatives from Cochrane were chosen to be featured speakers.  The theme was focused on implementation, and helping participants learn the conditions necessary for the successful implementation of sustainability initiatives in their own towns, cities or regions.

Valerie McCracken, Chair of SPUR (Sustainability Partners Uniting Resources) represented Cochrane at the event, and used the opportunity to share the highlights, challenges and lessons learned in the process of implementing the Cochrane Sustainability Plan.  “Our goal in presenting at the Sustainable Cities conference was really to showcase all that Cochrane residents have accomplished since we embarked on the sustainability planning process,” Valerie says.  “The citizens of Cochrane embraced the process with enthusiasm, and became committed to the goal of creating a sustainable future for our community.  Their level of engagement, focus and expertise provides a great role model for other communities across the country – and in fact, internationally.”

The Cochrane presentation was focused on how SPUR has developed a unique, multi-faceted engagement model for the implementation of the Cochrane Sustainability Plan.  Sharing stories of how our Ambassadors, Champions and Citizens of Sustainability are doing their part to making Cochrane more sustainable, Valerie provided participants with an understanding of how implementing a sustainability plan can, and should, truly be a collaborative effort.

“The Cochrane model for implementing our sustainability plan caught the attention of conference participants from around the world,” Valerie says.  “The community-owned approach that we are taking is unique and seemed to really inspire many of the conference delegates.  It was extremely heartening to see that the work we are doing here in Cochrane is in many respects leading-edge.”

There’s no doubt that the Cochrane experience has inspired other communities. “The Cochrane Sustainability Plan reflects what we need to do in all our communities to make them more sustainable,” says Gisela Mendez, Director of IMPLAN, City of Colima, Mexico.   “For us, it was very inspiring to see how Cochrane is involving the whole community in implementing their Plan.”

Sustainable Cities representatives were also pleased to showcase the Cochrane sustainability experience.  “It is obvious that Cochrane is doing something right because there are some remarkable outcomes of the Cochrane Sustainability Plan that were shared at our conference,” says Pat Gordon, Director, Sustainable Cities Network, International Centre for Sustainable Cities.  “I think there was both surprise and delight at what is happening in Cochrane.”

The conference also presented an opportunity for Cochrane to see the approaches and strategies that have been successful in other communities. “The PLUS Network conference provided a tremendous opportunity to connect with communities across Canada and around the world on sustainability initiatives,” Valerie says.  “I certainly came away with a long list of ideas that can help us move sustainability even further here in Cochrane.”

The 2010 Sustainable Cities conference ran from September 11 to 16, and was attended by more than 100 people from 10 different countries.

You can learn more about Sustainable Cities here.