New York, Melbourne, Prospect: The metropolitan council putting South Australia on the map
City of Prospect is in the running to be named the 2022 Intelligent Community of the Year by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) at a global summit in the US.
If crowned, Prospect will be the first South Australian city to win the award, and only the second Australian city to win the award ever.
Chris White, CEO of City of Prospect, said he is both honoured and humbled that Prospect is being considered for the worldwide award.
“Prospect has transformed into a desirable location for people to work, live, study, connect and play within. Both locals and visitors alike benefit from innovative businesses, sustainable solutions and a community that promotes pioneering,” Chris said.
“It’s fantastic to see our unique, eclectic, innovative and of course intelligent community featured on the global stage. The community should be very proud.”
The ICF is a global network that connects cities and regions across five continents to collaborate on economic development and community growth in the digital age.
City of Prospect’s journey began earlier this year, when the council area was named a global Top 7 Intelligent Community Finalist, along with cities such as Fredericton in Canada, New Taipei City in Taiwan, and the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
The last Australian city to win the prestigious award was Melbourne in 2017.
City of Prospect was nominated for several projects, including GigCity high-speed internet connectivity, community consultations, Council’s state-of-the-art Payinthi building, innovative STEM education programs in local schools, environmental initiatives and collaborative works with community artists.
The next step of the nomination process usually involves a visit from the US-based judging panel. To be COVID safe, a series of virtual meetings were conducted over three days in August with members of the community, including artists, residents, schools, MPs and CEOs.
A 30-minute video was also submitted by City of Prospect, featuring local community artists, innovators, students, volunteers, council staff, and businesses who have contributed to making Prospect the vibrant urban hotspot it is.
“I’d like to extend my thanks to community members and staff who participated and organised both the virtual meetings with the American judging panel and the video submission. It was a lot of effort which has paid off,” said Chris.
In late October, delegates from City of Prospect will travel to Ohio to attend the 2022 ICF Global Summit.
The event will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions, workshops, and will culminate with the announcement of the 2022 Intelligent Community of the Year.
Follow City of Prospect’s ICF journey via their social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.