Category: Awards

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Awards Communications Design Innovation Uncategorized

More Awards, OH MY!

We recently shared the good news that YRRTC was recognized for multiple AVA Digital Awards, and we’re thrilled to share more exciting news…

The Yonge Street bus rapid transit project that opened for service last year in Richmond Hill and Newmarket was recently awarded first place in the Large Project category for the 2020 Engineering Project of the Year Award from the Professional Engineers Ontario [PEO] – York Chapter. 

  • This competition recognizes the contributions to the engineering profession and local community by an organization that has completed an outstanding project of a technical nature within the past year. It’s no secret that rapid transit projects bring better options for fast and convenient travel, but they also include major upgrades to roads above and below the ground. This includes updated utilities and infrastructure and beautiful streetscapes for pedestrians and cyclists – benefitting communities for generations to come.
  • EllisDon Capital Inc. and Coco Paving Inc. (EDCO), YRRTC’s constructor, also came in 2nd place for the Highway 7 West and Bathurst & Centre rapidway projects in Vaughan. 
  • Both rapid transit projects were recognized as the top winners in the Large Project category for the 2020 Engineering Project of the Year Award, highlighting the important investment made in rapid transit infrastructure. 

We’re also pleased to share that a number of communications pieces have received awards from the Hermes Creative Awards – an international competition that recognizes excellence by creative professionals. Judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), YRRTC was awarded:

  • Platinum Award for YRRTC Incident Management Protocol – Public Relations/Communications | Strategic Programs | Crisis Communications Plan
  • Gold Award for Connections Through Rapid Transit video – Electronic Media/Social Media/Interactive Media | Video | Government
  • Gold Award for Support Local campaign – Public Relations/Communications | Strategic Programs | Pandemic Response

We’re thankful to have our commitment to excellence recognized by top industry professionals.  None of this would have been possible without the dedication of staff and partners alike to deliver on the transit vision that is transforming communities. For more info, visit our awards & recognition webpage.

Categories
Awards Communications Design Innovation Rapidways suburban to urban transformation Transit

And the award goes to…

vivaNext awards

Last year was unprecedented and came with challenges for everyone, everywhere. There were achievements too though, and those are worth more than a mention. Working with our partners, at YRRTC we delivered 17 kilometres of rapid transit in 2020, completing the first phase of the Viva bus rapidway network that includes 33.7 kilometres of dedicated rapidways along York Region’s busiest corridors. These projects are more than just transit – they are complete street rebuilds above and below the ground. As of the end of 2020, the rapidways, combined with some transit facilities and a bus terminal, have brought $2.7 billion in assets that will benefit communities in York Region for generations to come.

Over the past years, YRRTC has been recognized and received awards for innovative design and technology elements of the Viva bus rapid transit projects. Many factors contribute to the success of our projects – engineering, urban design, architecture, construction, partnerships and collaboration – but there’s one element that isn’t always mentioned: Communications. Our communications initiatives support each project and keep stakeholders and the community informed in new and creative ways.

YRRTC is honoured to have recently been recognized for our digital communications, with multiple awards from AVA Digital Awards including:

We’re also pleased to have received honourable mentions under the following categories:

The AVA Digital Awards is an international competition that recognizes excellence by creative professionals responsible for the planning, concept, direction, design and production of digital communication. Work ranges from digital campaigns to audio and video production to website development to social media engagement to mobile marketing. The Award is judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), whose judges have a reputation for accuracy, fairness and credibility.

We’re proud to deliver creative excellence in support of these complex infrastructure projects!

Categories
Announcements Awards Commissioning Facilities and terminals General Press Rapidways Stations Subways Urban Planning

be ready… 30 days to subway

The countdown is on, and we can hardly wait! The first subway in York Region will arrive in just 30 days. The TTC Line 1 subway extension is a game-changer for transit in Vaughan Metropolitan Centre [VMC], York Region, and beyond.

Changes of this magnitude are fueled by the power of collaboration and funding partnerships. Today, vivaNext participated in a media event to kick off the countdown in earnest, along with the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto and the TTC.

Read the news release

mega-connections at VMC

The TTC Line 1 extension isn’t the only connection coming your way. Everything’s changing, and that makes for better, faster transit service.

  • The Highway 7 West rapidway between Edgeley Boulevard and Jane Street, including Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station in the centre of Highway 7, will open for service.
  • SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal will begin hosting YRT/Viva soon after.

Imagine, hopping on Line 1 at VMC Station and arriving downtown in just 45 minutes. Or from the subway, connecting directly to our Highway 7 West rapidway, or walking two minutes to the SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal, where YRT/Viva routes branch out across York Region. Soon you won’t have to imagine!

Today’s event was a warm-up for the big celebration on December 17, and you’re invited to share the celebration. Check vivaNext.com/VMCopening for links to detailed information.

award-winning design

In other news, our rapidway in Vaughan is already getting noticed, for the quality of the design and also for the collaboration behind the scenes that makes it all come together.

Earlier this week, we were honoured to receive an Award of Merit from the Vaughan Urban Design Awards for the first phase of our Highway 7 West rapidway. The awards celebrate excellence in architecture, urban design, landscape architecture and environmental stewardship.

The rapidway, running from Jane Street to Bowes Road, was unanimously praised by the jury as “A great example of collaboration and investment between multiple levels of government to demonstrate significance on a city-wide scale.”

The jury also called the rapidway “a catalyst to knit communities together”, noting that the project “presents public transit as a ‘cool and hip’ mode of transportation” and “makes the everyday experience of transit a beautiful one.”

We hope you agree. Riding transit can be a beautiful experience.

Categories
Announcements Awards Rapidways Urban Planning

vivaNext made the Top 100 Urban Planning blog list!

The vivaNext blog has been called out by Feedspot as one of the Top 100 Urban Planning Blogs. We came in at #55 on this list, which includes notable think tanks and urban planning publications, such as CityLab, Planetizen, The Urbanist and Spacing.

We’re humbled, honoured – and very excited – to be in the company of such notables, and to be included in one of Feedspot’s ‘best of’ lists.

Our place on this list shows the vital connection between urban planning and transportation planning, and the importance of urban design when building transit systems. Our blog reflects that, ranging from updates on our rapid transit projects to the big picture of what it all means from a smart growth perspective.

The fact is, we’re not just building transit. We’re building connections that make communities work for the future, and attractive destinations for people living, working, and travelling in York Region. We’re always looking for new topics to write about – urban planning or otherwise – so if you have a suggestion for a blog topic, be sure to let us know!