Presentation was a hit

Our presentation was outstanding!
Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, Tom Tomszak, Sue Fredericks with Powerpoint support by Amy Wood delivered an outstanding presentation to the LivCom judges and many audience members. The 40-minute multimedia presentation included nearly 10 minutes of video, with powerpoint supporting the live portion.

Leading the presentation was “Toledo, My Home” video produced by Hart and Associates. This provided a beautiful snapshot of Toledo with similar video introductions to each section of our presentation.

Enhancement of Landscape touted the city’s commitment to greenspaces. With over 11,000 acres of parkland in the area, northwest Ohioans can experience a variety of natural and built areas. Deep streams, forested areas, wetlands, tall grass prairies and floodplains showcase the diversity of the local landscape. Access to and enhancement of areas around the Maumee River has helped us reclaim one of the areas most significant natural resources. In addition to this network of public spaces, the city further enhances its commitment to the landscape with innovative programs like the Garden Partners Initiative and has created policy governing development with an emphasis on Low Impact Design. One key example noted is the city’s Rain Garden Initiative which is designed to improve storm water management.

The overview of Heritage Management spoke to the settlement and development of the region. As a significant transportation hub, Toledo was the natural home for a wide variety business and industry. Toledo takes pride in its industrial, architectural and cultural history. With an eye toward preserving the past, while planning for the future Toledo boasted the retention of Jeep as well as the significance of 17 Historic districts and architectural preservation efforts. Public art and the celebration of the area’s ethnic diversity rounded out this section.

To discuss Environmentally Sensitive Practices, Sue Frederick discussed Toledo’s journey from environmental indifference to developing environmentally sensitive practices focusing on land, air, energy and water. Brownfield remediation at both the Jeep Assembly Plant campus and the Marina District were showcased. Additionally, the city’s recycling effort and the use of recycled material was discussed.

TMACOG, TARTA and University of Toledo shared the stage when we shared our success meeting all federal air-quality standards.

The city’s own initiative to save energy in its buildings and through energy efficient traffic signals was touted celebrating the reduction of more than 5,000 tons of greenhouse gas per year. The Andersons Co.’s annual production of 55 million gallons of ethanol was noted along with two local outstanding solar technology companies – First Solar and Xunlight – as additional successes in conserving and developing cleaner fuel.

Of special note was the City of Toledo’s installation of a methane recovery system at the local landfill. Methane is piped to the city’s Water Reclamation plant to be converted into approximately 6 megawatts of electrical power per day. Over 25 years the city expects the project to save between $25 and $40 million in energy costs.

Water was the final component of the Environmentally Sensitive Practices discussion. The $450 million Waterways Initiative was discussed. The Long-Term Control Plan, the new wastewater treatment plant and the recent top five “best tasting drinking waters” in the US recognition was also reviewed.

The city’s efforts to Keep Jeep and the Board of Community Relations were showcased by Tom Tomsczak to demonstrate our efforts at Community Sustainability. As part of the city’s goal to become more environmentally sensitive, Toledo has adopted and amended community plans that support and encourage energy efficiency and green building design. We have adopted the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design principles as community policy and become a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. The new $100 million green and sustainable multi-purpose arena and convention center in the downtown area and the University of Toledo’s Applied Building and Construction Technologies Department were also highlighted as steps toward creating a more sustainable community.

Healthy Lifestyles also factored into the determination of LivAble Communities. The “Get Fit, Toledo!” campaign encourages Toledo residents to eat healthful foods and keep themselves physically fit and active. The addition of bike trails encourage not just physical activity, but also provide green transportation routes crossing the city. It is clear that community involvement and participation is essential to the success of the “Get Fit” initiative. The city has active partnerships with the American Heart Association and “Bike to Work” days, the yearly Susan Komen “Race for the Cure,” the first Toledo triathlon and the annual Punt, Pass and Kick contest.

Additionally, Toledo established a Commission on Minority Health to focus on improving health disparities among minority populations. The commission develops public awareness and community education campaigns and promotes best practices for improving the health of minority citizens in Toledo.

Toledo 20/20: Toledo By Choice is the comprehensive plan for Toledo’s future. This plan was the first of its kind adopted for the City of Toledo in half a century and was driven by a citizen participation process involving over 50 neighborhood meetings. Toledo 20/20 is tied together by a shared vision for the community and illustrates Toledo’s success Planning for the Future. This Master Plan presented 193 recommendations, organized by overall policy, land use, community design, marketplace, housing, recreation, environment and transportation.
EPIC and the Live Work Create Toledo program were highlighted for their efforts to respectively attract and retain young professionals and new artists to the area. The Toledo Pride! initiative was also showcased.

The presentation wrapped up with a charming video message from Toledo-native Jamie Farr and an invitation from Mayor Finkbeiner to come to Our Home.

Following the presentation, the panel of three judges quizzed the presenters on a variety of topics including pesticide management, tracking results of Get Fit Toledo, the management of yard waste, noise regulation and more. The questions were tough and language (word choices and accents) was a bit of a barrier, but at the end of the presentation, the 13 delegates from Toledo were certainly proud of the way our city was represented at this prestigious international conference.