Pembroke Pines Receives
“Outstanding Achievement Large City 2017 City Livability Award”

 
 
Pembroke Pines, FL  (June 26, 2017) – The City of Pembroke Pines was awarded the “Outstanding Achievement Large City 2017 City Livability Award” in support of the Creative Placemaking at the Charles F. Dodge City Center.  The award was presented to Mayor Frank C. Ortis at The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 85th Annual Meeting in Miami Beach held on June 24, 2017.
 
The award recognizes mayoral leadership in developing and implementing programs that improve the quality of life in America’s cities, focusing on the leadership, creativity, and innovation demonstrated by the mayors.  This year’s winning cities were selected by former mayors from a pool of over 150 applicants.
 
The City Center Creative Placemaking Project incorporated Community Engagement Design Activities and Innovative Arts Program Planning in the development of the new Charles F. Dodge City Center cultural complex and its arts venues.
 
“It took more than a decade of community visioning and planning, and a lot of dedication and perseverance, but we achieved our goal of creating a phenomenal City Center Cultural Complex for all to be proud of,” said Mayor Ortis. “We are very honored to received recognition for this project.”
 
The Charles F. Dodge City Center is home to Pembroke Pines’ City Hall, City Commission Chambers, a Great Hall performance space, and The Frank Art Gallery.  The facilities all face a one-acre Plaza that is designed to provide open space and outdoor performance opportunities to the city’s residents. City Center also serves as the cornerstone of Pembroke Pines' new 130 - acre multiuse, pedestrian-friendly downtown, which is currently under development.
 
"Our City Livability Awards Program gives us the chance to express our pride in cities’ mayoral leadership in making urban areas cleaner, safer, and more livable,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of the Conference of Mayors.  “We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase the innovation and commitment of mayors and city governments across the country." 
 
This is the 38the year in which cities have competed for the award, which is sponsored by the Conference of Mayors and Waste Management, Inc. Alex Gonzalez, Waste Management’s Florida Area Public Affairs Director, presented the City Livability awards during the annual luncheon in Miami Beach.
 
Outstanding Achievement Awards were given to five cities with populations of 100,000 or more: Irvine (CA), Gresham (OR), Phoenix (AZ), Pembroke Pines (FL), Port St. Lucie (FL) -- and five cities with populations of less than 100,000 — Aguadilla (PR), Doral (FL), Dubuque (IA), East Orange (NJ) and Greenville (MS).
 
For more information, please visit: https://www.usmayors.org/city-livability/

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Media Only:
Valerie L. Moran, Publicist Pembroke Pines Media
C: 954.392.9494 / E: VLMoran@ppines.com