January 12, 2011
Omaha by Design will recognize the winners of its 2010 trio of awards and present the 2010 installment of its highest honor – the Laurels Award – at its annual awards luncheon Monday, Jan. 31. The event will be held from 11:30am to 1:00pm at Metropolitan Community College in the Swanson Conference Center.
Mike McMeekin, president of Lamp, Rynearson & Associates, will receive the Laurels Award. It is presented to an individual, organization or business that has made significant contributions to the creation of great public spaces in the metro.
In 2008, McMeekin agreed to serve as co-chair of Environment Omaha, a multi-year policy development initiative designed to create a comprehensive new environmental section for the City of Omaha’s master plan. In his volunteer capacity, McMeekin logged more than 600 hours helping shepherd the initiative through the development process. Last month, the Omaha City Council voted 7-0 to approve the resulting document, which contains more than 600 recommendations in five key areas – the natural environment, urban form and transportation, building construction, resource conservation and community health.
McMeekin was a member of both the working committee that created the Urban Design Element and the Technical Advisory Group that helped create the groundbreaking package of zoning code revisions and additions approved in 2007. He is also a founding member and current chair of the Urban Design Review Board and a current member of the Omaha by Design Advisory Committee.
The awards luncheon also will recognize the 2010 recipients of Omaha by Design’s Green Leaf, Civic Leaf and Neighborhood Leaf awards.
The Green Leaf, which honors an individual, organization or business that has worked to preserve and enhance the metropolitan area’s natural setting and public park system, was awarded to the City of Omaha Department of Public Works for its leadership role in The Cole Creek Project, a $1.6 million urban stream restoration initiative in the Benson-Ames Alliance.
The Civic Leaf, which honors an individual, organization or business that has worked to define and improve the metropolitan area’s civic places and public image, was awarded to Omaha South High School’s Collin Stadium Project, which transformed an inhospitable practice field into a premier outdoor sports facility and community gathering space.
The Neighborhood Leaf, which honors an individual, organization or business that has worked to preserve and enhance the metropolitan area’s residential neighborhoods, was awarded to Omaha’s community gardens. Now numbering close to 50 and scattered throughout the city, they’re bringing neighbors together to work, share experiences and create a healthier Omaha, one plot at a time.
For more information, call 402.554.4010 or email info@omahabydesign.org.
Note: the photos at the top of the page are from the Jan. 31 luncheon.