Port-to-port study earns national award

Business News
Cape Breton Post
Sat., Mar. 7, 2009

SYDNEY - A study on possible strategic uses of the former steel plant and coke ovens lands has won a national award from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects.

The Port-to-Port Corridor study, commissioned by the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Sydney Tar Ponds Agency and federal Department of Environment and written by CBCL Ltd., was one of three projects to receive a national citation award from the society.

Gordon Smith, a landscape architect with CBCL's Halifax office, said the awards bring significant recognition to the winners, especially because the list is publicized in Canada and sent to the U.S. landscape architects' association as well, "so getting an award there kind of puts you on the map." He said the port study examined the historical uses and possible future uses of the land running from the old Sysco steel wharf on the waterfront all the way to the airport. "There was some discussion about what might happen on the coke ovens lands and concentrating on areas where you'd want development to happen in future," said Smith. "It's also a bit of an inspirational document as well.

This was kind of saying here the area is experiencing population and economic decline and it doesn't have to be looked at as a bad thing. It can be looked at as an opportunity to preserve quality of life."