伦敦女市长（图）-State of the City Address 2006

Tom · 发表于 2006-4-16 13:39

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State of the City Address 2006(ZT)

Below is the text of Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco\'s State of the City Address at the January 19, 2006 annual breakfast sponsored by the London Chamber of Commerce. More than 850 civic and business leaders attended this event held at the Hilton Hotel.

Introduction
Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I?m delighted to welcome all of you to the 2006 State of the City Address. I want to thank the entire Chamber team for organizing another successful event. Certainly, the strong connection between the City and the Chamber is an important partnership, and one we look forward to strengthening as we continue to work together to serve London.

A number of my colleagues from Council and our administrative staff are here this morning and I ask you to join me in recognizing and thanking them. We have more than 3,000 employees, committed to serving you day in, and day out, 365 days a year. Those here today represent hundreds of years of dedicated service to London.

Reflecting on A Proud History & Looking to A Bright Future
150 years ? that?s the milestone we have just completed as a city. Celebrations abounded as we paid tribute to our roots, dating back to that first day of incorporation in 1855. For the past 12 months, the spirit of London came alive in many ways as we reflected on our history, our heritage, our successes and our challenges.

Throughout our anniversary, I often echoed the thoughts of earlier leaders who believed, as I do, that we have a proud history and a bright future, not just for today, but for the next 150 years. London?s future depends on you and all citizens stepping forward to create a legacy for the next generation. This legacy will be founded on a new appreciation of what London can become, a new vision for the city, establishing its place within the region, the province and the nation.

Building a compelling, lasting and inclusive vision takes time, patience, persistence, determination and leadership. Vision is not about a slogan, or a catchphrase. Vision is insight, knowledge, and wisdom shared for the benefit of all. It means working together. And, if there is one theme in this presentation, if there is one thing that our first 150 years has shown, it is that - when London works together, together we achieve great accomplishments. Accomplishments such as the Canada Summer Games, the Memorial Cup, the John Labatt Centre, the Central library, a city that enjoys a lifestyle that is the envy of Ontario, and much, much more.

City Council has also been listening. We have taken the opportunity to listen to you, whether it be through public input sessions, budget debates, open forums, or a series of articles written by a cross section of our citizens. We?re all working together to make London better, and giving us a clearer understanding of the hopes, dreams and aspirations of Londoners.

Positioning London among Canada\'s Top Cities
While City Council, working with our administration, has set a goal for London to be positioned among the top cities in our country, a vision for London cannot rest with Council alone. It must emerge from you. From within the community and be founded on our collective wisdom. I want to share our successes by focusing again on our five key goals, but before I do that, I would like to share with you, a few personal observations.

First, today?s London varies from the past. Our population is changing dramatically. We are more diverse and we are much more dependent on new Canadians for the future growth of our city. These new citizens come to London from all parts of the world, with amazing skills, expertise and knowledge and we must do all we can to enable these new Canadians to contribute to our growing community.

Second, our economic base is different now. As you know, London was once primarily a financial, educational, institutional and health care centre for southwestern Ontario. Its regional significance provided the City with wealth and influence, and the legacy of this prosperity can be seen in the amenities and services we have today. But, to succeed in the future, we?ll need to continue expanding in the fields of research, technology, manufacturing and life sciences.

Third, we must create our prosperity of the future, rather than resting on past successes. That?s why attracting new business is pivotal to London. It?s also equally important that we make further inroads with the Provincial and Federal governments to ensure they make more significant investments in our local and regional economies.

Fourth, it?s important to recognize our young and dynamic population has a vital role to play in our prosperity. We must focus on retaining our best and brightest, who can, and will, locate in communities that are culturally, socially and environmentally diverse. They will choose to live where they find life most interesting - and, they have been clear, London must be more attentive to their needs, or they will take their creativity, ingenuity, and imagination elsewhere.

Creating A Strong & Diversified Local Economy
So how do we address these observations? City Council continues to make decisions based on five key goals as part of its strategic direction. Our plan of action is working and I want to take the time to share our achievements and explain some of the next steps.

As you recall our first goal as a Council is to create a strong and diversified local economy, of which financial stability and fiscal responsibility are key components. About five years ago, Council decided to develop its first-ever Strategic Financial Plan. We identified this Plan as a necessary measure to competitively attract new jobs, to ensure basic needs are met without compromising other important projects and services, and to invest appropriately in our neighbourhoods.

We realized it would take time to implement, but as a result, today we are better positioned than ever before, as the Plan is our driving force in becoming more fiscally responsible. At the same time, we are investing strategically to strengthen our quality of life, allowing us to become more competitive. So how is our Financial Plan paying off?

Over the past three months, City Council has worked diligently on the budget. We have made considerable ground in bringing in a budget that meets the rate of inflation at around 3%. While this is good news, it is the framework from which we started that I would like to highlight. It?s not about a quick fix, but setting priorities and sticking to basic principles over time. That is why Council has stuck to the $30-million debt cap on tax supported projects and applied one-time year end surpluses to reduce debt. We also continued to use the philosophy of pay-as-you-go with more projects. You have told us this is important, and we have listened.

Council has implemented a cost containment initiative within all city departments, absorbing millions of dollars in inflationary pressures, while at the same time, implementing a vacancy management program. And, all City Boards and Commissions have been given stringent targets to meet in their budget planning. We have done well, but we will and can do better.

Our assessment growth continues to be strong and stable, a prime reason for the Aaa credit rating London has retained for the 28th consecutive year. Moody?s awarded this distinction citing our expanding assessment base, modest debt and prudent fiscal plan. And, we continued to focus on increasing our revenues and finding new sources of funding.

Tom · 发表于 2006-4-16 13:40

Establishing A \"New Deal\" with the Federal Government
In this regard, the New Deal with the Federal government is now a ?real deal?. In all of our efforts, through the Big City Mayors? Caucus and Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), we have made an undisputable case that municipalities are the engine behind the economy. As each city in this country faces growing pressures to cover skyrocketing costs related to infrastructure, including roads and sewers, the Federal government has come to the table phasing in a commitment of 5-cents a litre of the gas tax.

By 2009, this Deal will bring us an annual allotment of stable funding of just over $22-million to be reinvested in infrastructure needs like our wastewater systems, the development of bicycle lanes and social housing, to name a few. But, our work is far from over.

We, as Big City Mayors, along with FCM, continue to advocate for a share of other revenues that grow with the economy. We have also identified key areas, including affordable housing; immigration; environmental sustainability; physical and social infrastructure; public safety; and emergency preparedness, to work in partnership to ensure all federal programs, legislation and other policy decisions are flexible enough to meet our needs.

I want to thank our local MPs for their diligence in working with City Council. I also want to serve notice, that it?s important for all MPs, who get elected in the Federal election, to clearly support investments in our cities as a priority. And, I ask all of you to take the time to advocate for our communities.
Reaping Benefits from Provincial Government Partnership Initiatives
On the Provincial front, the City also continues to reap benefits from the Province?s commitment of 2-cents a litre of the gas tax towards new transit service. When fully implemented, it will provide for $9-million a year in new funding, a vital component as the LTC has had nine consecutive years of growing ridership, and last year, expanded service by 10-thousand hours. Also, City Council?s work to secure resources to account for the imbalance of downloading is at last being recognized in part with $13-million in additional funding.
Our positive working relationship with our local MPPs has paid dividends and I thank them for meeting and listening to Council on a regular basis. Looking ahead, we are going to need our MPPs commitment and direction in revamping the provincial arbitration process. There has been much discussion in the past three years regarding the impact of this process on the cost of providing emergency services.

Unequivocally, Council and the community truly value the fine work of our police, fire and paramedics. These services are essential to Londoners? health and quality of life and continue to be a Council priority, as evidenced by the opening of the #2 Fire Station, including new vehicles and equipment. We have also approved a new station, #13 for the north end, including the addition of 20 firefighters and prevention officers. And, our police service, which also celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2005, continues to receive Council support in matters such as an expanded police station and the addition of more front-line officers.

Still, the settlements awarded through arbitration for contracts in protective services, have not been reflective of local needs, circumstances or ability to pay. Rather, the trend has shown that arbitrators give more consideration to settlements reached in other communities, as the starting point. So, unless the Province provides leadership in reviewing this area to make necessary changes, the financial impact will be felt for years to come. You have told us this is important and we have listened. Together, we are working with your Chamber leadership, locally and provincially, to make a difference.

Benchmarking & Tracking our Financial success
There is no doubt, London?s long-term financial stability is crucial to its ability to be among the top ranked cities in Canada. To this end, we have set benchmarks tracking our success, by compiling comparative data, to use in reaching this goal. It is factual, accurate and clear to understand. The data compares areas such as debt levels, credit rating, tax levels, financial reserves and economic growth.

To better illustrate this data, we?ve developed a financial brochure for your review, which can be used whenever selling London to potential new business clients. In compiling this information, we observed that significant investment by higher levels of government is being made within the greater Golden Horseshoe area surrounding Toronto. As such, I believe that by working together as a region, we have great potential to strengthen our broader Southwestern Ontario economy as well.

For instance, the new Toyota plant being built in Woodstock is a recent regional success. This investment is a win for Woodstock, and a win for all communities in the southwest region of the province, including London, as we continue to attract related industries and spin-off companies, creating new jobs. With this kind of collaboration in mind and to improve and fortify our regional efforts, some very exciting developments are underway.

I am pleased to announce that a regional economic summit will be held in May, 2006. Strategic partners from key sectors of our economy, including the University of Western Ontario, St. Joseph\'s Health Care, London Health Sciences Centre, and the London Chamber of Commerce, among others, will join forces in an unprecedented attempt to bring the leadership of our area together for two days of discussion and debate.

We know our region - bounded by the Great Lakes, as well as the GTA to the east and the United States to the south and west - is rich in resources, has many natural assets and serves as the transportation corridor for Canada?s heartland and NAFTA markets. We also have a competitive edge in manufacturing, food production and processing, health, education, research and many other fields. Together, we can find ways to take advantage of these assets, and develop greater prosperity and opportunities for our citizens.

We have one goal - to build a framework for the future that allows us to work together and make the entire southwestern Ontario region stronger. We will need your help, support, suggestions and enthusiasm to make it work. Details for the event are currently in the works to bring the stakeholders together. More details on the summit will be announced in the months ahead.

Continuing Achievements in Our Business Development
Meantime, the London Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) continues to show success in its work for London. Last year, we added another five new companies, creating 121 jobs, with an investment of over $24-million. On top of that, 27 existing companies chose to expand their operations creating almost 500 new jobs. Of note, Labatt?s, our hometown brewery, announced a $40-million expansion, following a corporate decision to close its Toronto plant. The move will boost our London plant?s production capacity and create more jobs.

Meantime, Diamond Aircraft landed a $16-million U.S. deal to send 60 planes to the first private flight school in China. Trojan Technologies won its biggest contract ever as New York City engaged the company to build the world?s largest ultra-violet drinking water disinfection system. This is on the heels of landing a major deal with Calgary and Winnipeg. And, General Dynamics continued to show its presence landing multi-million dollar contracts with both the Canadian government and the US military.

Tom · 发表于 2006-4-16 13:41

Also, Ellis Don made the ?Top 10? Report on Business magazine list of Canada?s Best employers. Allied Health Management Group placed near the top in Profit Magazine?s 50 hottest growing companies. And, Sparton Electronics celebrated its 75th anniversary of the London plant, spurring its CEO to remark, ?We are in love with the City of London, and we are not going anywhere.?

LEDC also spearheaded a number of new workforce initiatives in 2005. They include the ?Experience Works? resource kit. This information challenges companies to make better use of older, more experienced workers keeping them on the job as long as possible. The ?International Skills Connections? is an opportunity to build relationships outside of Canada to help businesses recruit employees with specialized skills to help bridge the gap of workers particularly needed in the manufacturing sector. And, the LEDC is working with the City to develop the ?Welcoming Cultural Diversity Plan?, which focuses on how we can welcome and integrate immigrants into our community.
Attracting more high-tech businesses to London
As you can see, we have intensified our business development efforts through the combined work of LEDC and the City. Even so, in today?s competitive market, it?s time to think outside the box. As such, ?London?s Next Economy? is a bold, insightful, and strategic game plan to capitalize on attracting more high-tech businesses to London. Through this plan, the City, the LEDC, the Stiller Centre, the Small Business Centre and TechAlliance are forming a partnership to ensure London and our southwestern Ontario region is a globally-recognized destination for knowledge based companies.

This plan is both exciting and ambitious. With your help, it will see 10,000 net new jobs in five years; will quadruple the number of fastest-growing companies, and increase the percentage of high-end jobs from 28% to 35% of the workforce. It will also increase by one-third, the number of graduating post-secondary students who choose to stay in London to work. And, TechAlliance has established the ?Emerging Leaders? initiative, aimed at developing the next generation of local leaders in the business, technology and research sectors. It targets 25-44 year-olds to connect them, to each other, through think tanks, mentoring programs and joint ventures.

With this new thrust of ?London?s Next Economy?, the governance of the five participating organizations will also change. Rather than continuing with separate Boards of Directors for each organization, I want to thank a stellar group of individuals who have volunteered to lead the transition to this new model, by serving on an interim Board. In the ?Next London?, there is a role for all and I want to encourage you to think about the contribution you can make.
Highlighting Assets & Resources of Competitive Strength
While, there is still much work to be done, now is the time for the community to embrace this next wave of business development. For five years, we have enjoyed great success with thousands of new jobs and companies making London their home, a goal recognized by the Conference Board of Canada a few years ago, naming London one of the fastest growing economies in the country. And, again recently, the Conference Board cited our well-diversified economy, in particular in manufacturing and construction activity, for posting real GDP growth of 2.7% this year in job creation.

But, the market place is highly competitive and value driven. To continue playing on the world stage, we need to work collectively, with innovation and strategic thinking, to achieve the best for future generations of Londoners. We have much to offer. Our strategic location is central to over 10-million people with access from the 400 series highways, rail service and the London International Airport. We can proudly boast of a well-educated, diverse workforce, and we have a history of delivering a high quality of life to our citizens. We have other advantages as a city as well.
For instance, Fanshawe College recently addressed the looming skills shortage when it opened its spectacular new Centre for Construction Trades and Technology. As a result, the College is able to double its enrolment for skilled trades programs, such as training our future plumbers, electricians, mechanics and millwrights.

Meantime, for the fourth year in a row, the University of Western Ontario is ranked third in the country by Maclean?s Magazine, while at the same time, a survey by the Globe and Mail, says our university is the best in the country. How?s that for advertising a city to attract the best and brightest?

Western also continues to dominate in research and scientific discovery. The University, in partnership with the London International Airport and Fanshawe College, created the ?Three Little Pigs? facility. It?s the first of its kind in the world to allow researchers to simulate and study realistic damage to full-scale houses from wind, snow and rain, all within a controlled environment. Researchers are hoping their efforts will lead to construction of safer, healthier and more cost-efficient homes.

Tom · 发表于 2006-4-16 13:41

Robarts Research Institute has installed Canada?s first generation of micro-CT scanners for cardiovascular, respiratory and orthopedic research. This technology was pioneered right here at Robarts and is now known globally. And, Viron Technologies, a spin-off company of Robarts, has won what reporters describe, as the Nobel Prize of biotech awards. Viron accepted the Prix Galien Canada Award, recognizing its innovative medical and scientific research for developing specific medicines.

Meantime, 13 companies including Viron, are operating out of The Stiller Centre for Biotechnology Commercialization, where their programs supporting startup businesses continue to strengthen. Orthopedics also got a research boost, thanks to the National Research Council which helped to attract a leading researcher to work on a project to improve implants for hip and replacement surgery. And, the Lawson Health Research Institute also did very well, bringing in over $50-million in external research funding, delivering many firsts in areas such as rehabilitation and geriatric care for our aging population.

St. Joseph?s Health Care London acquired a DaVinci surgical robot, one of only three in Canada, and the second in London. This solidifies London?s position as a leading centre for robotic surgery. London Health Sciences Centre had a remarkable year too, as it opened its Ivey Heart Centre, creating one of Canada?s premier sites for the treatment of heart disease.

Working in partnership to profile our City & address community needs
I also want to publicly recognize the six years of unwavering dedication and support demonstrated by the LHSC, the City and the many community partners in our quest to become the new home for the Shriners Hospital of Canada. We didn?t win, but we still believe today, that if we had to do it over again, nothing would change in our approach. When looking at the outcome, more than 600 delegates voted to relocate the hospital to London, which is a tremendous vote of confidence.

As a community, we can be very proud. Tremendous momentum was created, and people pulled together, demonstrating the spirit, energy and enthusiasm that define London. We certainly raised the global profile of our medical, research and health care excellence, which in the end will bring us other opportunities. We are not going to give up.

It?s this same drive and determination that is helping our community address its critical shortage of family doctors. As you?ll recall, the Mayor?s Health Care London Task Force was established in 2004 to recruit 10 net new family doctors to serve the more than 20,000 Londoners without a primary caregiver.
This shortage becomes even more pressing, as we hear of private clinics setting up shop in communities like London. From preliminary information we have reviewed, it?s obvious these clinics will have greater financial incentives to recruit physicians, which is of concern. We will be monitoring this matter and raise any concerns that arise directly with the Province.

In any case, thanks to the support of City Council in hiring a full-time Family Doctor Recruitment Specialist six months ago, as well as ongoing work by the London Business Laureates who have raised $83,000 to date for their ?Adopt-a-Doc Program?, four new doctors are now practicing in London. They are Dr. Shailendra Ziradkar, Dr. Franklin Warsh and Dr. Robert Axford-Gatley at the Bradley Medical Centre and Dr. Mohamed Izzeldin with the AIM Health Group.

And now, I am very excited to further announce that four more family physicians have signed on to work in London, bringing our total number of new doctors to eight. Dr. Jeffrey Kelland of Nova Scotia arrives in London shortly and will be working at the Bradley Medical Centre beginning in April; Dr. Blake Bowler, currently working in Bancroft, Ontario, will begin a family practice in May, with the Family Medical Centre on Wonderland Road; Dr. Jay Geddes, who recently completed his residency in Winnipeg, is moving to London and is close to finalizing his office location; and Dr. Monzur Naher, a graduate of Western?s residency program, has decided to stay in London, and will work with the AIM Health Group.

The ?Adopt-a-Doc Program? has been vital in securing many of these doctors for our city, and I encourage you to consider contributing to this worthy project. Clearly, this issue is a priority for our citizens, which brings us to the City?s second priority of community vitality. This is an important area, because we can only be as strong and healthy as the neighbourhoods in which we live.

Enhancing our community\'s appeal as a great city to live, work, play & visit
Our goal is to enhance London as one of the greatest places to live, work, play and visit. To achieve this, we are ramping up efforts to develop a framework that focuses on themes such as safe communities, services and activities, innovation and economics in neighbourhoods, diversity and sense of community. And, with these themes, we will go directly to the public to ask the question, ?What would we need to do to strengthen our neighbourhoods in these ways?? With the results, we can then develop a plan of action much like we did with the Creative City Concept, for Council approval and implementation. This process begins this year.

Meantime, Council has moved forward with other important investments. Renovations and upgrades were made to the Hamilton Road Seniors Centre, the South London Community Centre, Stronach Recreation Centre and the Lambeth Arena. The London Public Library also made major improvements to its branches, including a joint partnership with the Y, in building the East London Branch Library and Community Centre.

The new Dearness Home opened, giving our seniors new accommodations that are comfortable, private and modern. Construction began on 25 affordable housing units on Dundas Street, while the grand opening took place for a 14-townhouse complex on Savannah Drive in the North end. Council also approved an Affordable Housing Strategy, which addresses a wide range of ideas including the rehabilitation of existing stock and more convert-to-rent units.

Community development though, is also about how we, as a City, deliver the best services and programs to you. So, for the first time in our history, we are undertaking a comprehensive customer service strategy. While the total program will take time to deliver, the priority initiatives will focus on customer service training, citizen feedback and a website redesign. We will look at creating a consolidated counter approach, one-stop shopping and in the longer term, we will explore the pros and cons of setting up a call centre to handle inquiries.

Serving our residents & future generations better
Serving our residents better was also the focus as London became a centre of excellence in using RIM technology. Partnering with our largest public sector institutions, London teamed up with the world renowned Research in Motion to utilize the blackberry to create greater efficiencies within our organizations, and to change how we deliver services, while at the same time saving money. For example, London Fire Service is piloting a custom-designed application for completing fire inspections in the field that will save time and money for businesses. London is the only municipal government in Canada or the U.S. to partner with RIM for this type of initiative - making it another exciting ?first? for London.

Tom · 发表于 2006-4-16 13:41

Our third goal is ensuring a clean, safe and healthy environment. This is the single most important thing in life we can leave our children. That is why we continue to actively pursue senior government funding to support the HELP Clean Water initiative aimed at ensuring our water continues to be of the highest quality. At the same time, Council is developing a long term capital and financial plan to update and improve London?s aging sewer system.

London continues its participation in the One-Tonne Challenge. Working with Thames Region Ecological Association (TREA), pilot programs are being developed in seven neighbourhoods, exploring ideas such as rebates for backyard composters and rain barrels, free additional blue boxes to increase recycling, and contests amongst households for the greatest energy savings. While statistics indicate, the average Canadian produces over five tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year, each of us is asked to reduce our personal emissions by one tonne a year.

We can also positively impact climate change through ongoing efforts to plant and protect our trees. The City and many community partners made trees a priority during the 150th anniversary as part of ?ReForest London 150?. More than 2400 trees and shrubs were planted last year and Council established a permanent Tree Committee to work with the private sector and other groups and associations. This Committee will facilitate the protection and planting of more trees and encourage the development of a long-term management plan for the urban forest.

These proactive efforts have already earned London provincial recognition through last year?s ?Communities in Bloom? competition, where we placed first in the urban forestry category, and also received awards for other London features, including the four corners gateway of Airport Road and Oxford Street.

Gardens were also very prevalent in 2005, with many public and private gardens, earning special recognition through the first annual ?Julia Hunter Memorial Fund for Gardens? Project. And, the City of London opened the Veterans? Garden in Victoria Park to commemorate the ?Year of the Veteran?. This Garden was specifically designed as a tribute to the sacrifices, the commitment and the dedication of those young soldiers who fought for our freedom. We hope the Veterans? Garden will be a place of peaceful reflection and a constant reminder of our sincere appreciation of these courageous efforts.

Progressing in core infrastructure Projects
Our fourth goal is core infrastructure and 2005 saw the culmination of several important road projects. They include the Springbank Road Widening, Phase One of the Oxford Street Widening, and the Airport Road twinning, which is now renamed Veterans Memorial Parkway. We also set the stage for the Hale/Trafalgar grade separation to help improve traffic flow.

City Council also moved quickly to bring on the newest industrial park, called Innovation Park. It will provide approximately 120 acres of additional serviced, ready-to-build prime land. This comes as Forest City Industrial Park is almost completely sold out, and twice as fast as expected. And, the construction boom also continued with building permits and housing sales both sizzling, making 2005 the second strongest year in London?s history.

Fostering creativity & The City\'s Cultural Amenities
Our fifth and final goal is culture. What a year we had and what potential is yet to be realized. Indeed, the work of the Creative City Task Force set the stage for an exciting new concept in our community. More than 87 recommendations are now part of a master plan that covers a wide range of areas. The Creative City Concept is designed to create a buzz about London and build our reputation as a livable and vibrant community, where we celebrate diversity, and successfully attract and retain many more young people.

This concept is about boosting our job initiatives in creative industries such as medical research, software design and the fine arts. It?s about recognizing and addressing the need for more immigration and international investment, as necessary tools to attract the best and brightest. And, I extend warm thanks to those volunteers who served on this Task Force.

Tourism activity was also brisk last year. We hosted 37 conferences, including the largest convention group in London?s history, as we partnered with Western to welcome more than 6000 delegates to the Canadian Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences. The Convention Centre also enjoyed its best year ever, as it marked the 3rd consecutive year of growth, and Covent Garden Market was ranked as one of the ?Top 10 Markets? in the country for the first time.

The John Labatt Centre once again showed it has become a premier venue for entertainment and sporting events. For the first time in its short history, the JLC has the distinction of being a finalist from the smallest market ever nominated for the Air Canada Centre Large Facility Award.
I congratulate Global Spectrum for its successful management of the JLC, as it continues to bring world class acts such as Green Day, Sting, Bill Clinton, and Michael Buble to London.

Of course, one of those premier events was the Memorial Cup with ten days of hockey, fan fest, and recognition of the top players. But, the tournament was much more than that. During the event, we witnessed the greatest team in the history of the CHL cap off an incredible season and win the prestigious tournament.

Our Champion London Knights thrilled our community and all Canadians, giving us an experience of a lifetime, in what can only be described as a season that will never be equaled. Indeed, the Knights put London on the map in a way that could never have been anticipated. We had national coverage every day and let?s face it - you couldn?t buy that kind of media exposure. And, just think, wouldn?t it be great if we could do it all again ? perhaps another Memorial Cup in Moncton, New Brunswick this May?

There were also other great sporting events that were successful, including the BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championship and the World Transplant Games. And, 2006 will be just as exciting, as we host World Field Lacrosse Championships, the Scott Tournament of Hearts and the LPGA Golf Championships to name a few.

With favourites like the JLC, the Grand Theatre, Orchestra London and Museum London all in the core, Londoners have so many more options for fun and entertainment. And, there is no question the increased activity downtown is paying off. For instance, Mainstreet London has reported that the number of Londoners visiting the downtown continues to increase, and since opening the JLC, the private sector has invested $37 in new construction for every $1 in public investment.

Expanding Revitalization initiatives to the Old East Village
In similar fashion to downtown, the City has worked with the merchants, businesses and residents in East London, to put a plan of action in place to revitalize the area. The plan includes incentive programs for owners to improve their properties; a range of land uses and zoning bylaws to offer flexibility in enhancing the development of the commercial corridor; and the implementation of the second phase of the heritage conservation district. It includes 1000 homes, instilling pride in this unique neighbourhood full of architectural and historical elements.

And, we know we?re on the right track because our Planners Action Team recently received a Provincial Award of Planning Excellence for its comprehensive work aimed at revitalizing the Old East Village.

So, as I think back upon all these accomplishments and the many, many more we achieved that I could not cite in our 150th year, a few thoughts stand out.

Accomplishing Great Things In Working Together
The first is our people. We are blessed with extremely talented, caring individuals who are committed to making our city the best in Canada. There are people, leaders, workers, thinkers, and doers behind every achievement I have mentioned and without them, none of this would be possible.

The second thought is cooperation. Henry Ford said, ?Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.?

If there is one thing I have learned as Mayor that I can leave with you, it is this: When we work together, we can accomplish great things. When we join forces, set aside personal differences, and commit ourselves to a common goal, we have great power and momentum. It takes leadership - yours and mine. Together, we really can make a difference.

Darren · 发表于 2006-4-22 21:29

好长的说

先顶下！
:d :d

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