Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize & Singapore Water Lecture
THE LECTURE
| Date |
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Monday, 2 July 2012 |
| Time |
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1.30 pm - 3.00 pm |
| Venue |
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Sands Grand Ballroom D, Level 5, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands |
The Prize Lecture is one of the key highlights at the World Cities Summit. Delivered by the Laureate, it is a platform that celebrates the Laureate’s achievements in the creation of liveable, vibrant, and sustainable urban communities with a high quality of life.
The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Laureate will also deliver a presentation at this lecture.
Moderator:
Speakers:
Abstract: Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe will represent Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the City of New York in accepting the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize.
Commissioner Benepe will speak about New York City's achievements in sustainable policy, including the City's landmark planning program, PlaNYC. PlaNYC is an action-oriented agenda for creating a greener and greater city. Its goals include planting one million trees over the course of a decade, restoring great regional parks, and ensuring that all New Yorkers live no more than a 10-minute walk from a park or playground.
New York City's sustainable achievements are thanks to the efforts of several agencies. Commissioner Benepe will acknowledge the work of the NYC Department of Transportation and its commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, who have made our city's streets safer for pedestrians, motorists and cyclists through the creation of pedestrian plazas and bicycle lanes. Commissioner Benepe will also acknowledge the work of the NYC Department of City Planning and its director, Amanda Burden, who have worked to reshape New York City through reimagining its waterfront and through the identification of former industrial sites that are being reclaimed into public parks.
The adaptive reuse of old infrastructure into beautiful public spaces caught the judges eyes in the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize competition and Commissioner Benepe will speak about two significant highlights that have helped reshape New York City in recent years – Brooklyn Bridge Park and the High Line. Brooklyn Bridge Park is the ultimate recycled park where a chain of abandoned mid-20th century piers and warehouses is being converted into a waterfront park with beaches, fishing piers, canals, paddling waters, and restored wetlands. The High Line was built on an abandoned elevated freight railway and as one of New York City's most popular public parks, we like to think of it as a mile-and-a-half-long recycling project.
Through these examples and others, Commissioner Benepe will present on how New York City is on the cutting edge of creating a more sustainable and livable city for its 8.1 million residents and millions of visitors. |
