Global Solutions
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APWA Global Solutions in Public Works Approves Five Participants to Attend Outstanding International Opportunities in Collaboration with APWA’s Valued International Partner Organizations
Destination: Helsinki, Finland – May and June 2012
The International Affairs Committee has approved five applicants to participate in two upcoming Global Solutions in Public Works-approved events to be held in Helsinki, Finland and surrounding areas in June, 2012.
Announced in January, 2012, the opportunities for Finland included (1) an approved Ingenium/IPWEA study tour to visit three Finnish municipalities, meet with the City Councils, and tour public works projects; and/or (2) attendance at the International Federation of Municipal Engineers (IFME)17th World Congress on Municipal Engineeringto be held in Helsinki, Finland, - Tallinn, Estonia and Stockholm, Sweden from June 4 to 7, 2012.
Three of the GSPW-approved participants are from the Colorado Chapter of APWA -- Trish Aragon, City Engineer, City of Aspen, CO; Anne Noble, Greenways Coordinator, City of Loveland: and Quinten Pertzsch, GIS Coordinator, City of Golden. Each has chosen a focus for their study in Finland. Trish and Anne are focused on bicycle and pedestrian traffic and flood mitigation. Quint is focused on international asset management. As an APWA International Champion Chapter, the Colorado Chapter was active in promoting the opportunities with its members.
William Burns, Project Manager, City of Orlando, FL, Florida Chapter of APWA is planning to focus on sustainability in all stages of community development.
Jim Close, Central Pennsylvania Chapter, will also attend the Ingenium/Study Tour and will focus on learning about the international role of the public works director and leadership/management issues.
APWA’s Global Solutions in Public Works is intended as an international exchange forum for information promoting leading edge and best practices in public works. The program is also intended to encourage the application of these leading edge and best practices in the global public works community. The program includes an opportunity for limited funding for members of the global public works community to: explore cutting edge projects that might have application in their communities, provide outreach to educate/share best practices with public works officials in underdeveloped countries, and participate in approved study tours.
Contact Gail Clark at APWA (gclark@apwa.net) to learn how your Chapter can become more involved or serve as an “APWA International Champion” Chapter.
Global Solutions in Public Works -- In Action!
Global Solutions in Public Works – Toronto Technical Tour --APWA New England and Maine Chapters -Joint International Collaborative Committee - August 2011
In August, 2011, a group of seven New England and Maine public works directors/managers visited the Toronto, Ontario region as one of the first Global Solutions in Public Works (GSPW) approved project visits. On Day 1 of the Tour, the public works directors met with Toronto municipal and Ontario provincial leaders for discussions on topics including innovative storm water and water quality management techniques, climate adaptation, asset management, and winter maintenance. Day 2 of the Tour provided an opportunity to visit project sites and gain first-hand knowledge on implementation of innovative solutions to water quality challenges and advances in energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities.
A full report on how the Chapters planned objectives and goals for the Tour is available at this link:
Global Solutions in Public Works -- Haiti Third-World Tour - August 2011 - APWA Presidential Initiative
In August 2011, a group of four APWA members and one APWA staff member joined APWA President George Crombie on a visit to Port-au- Pince Haiti as the second Global Solutions in Public Works (GSPW) - approved project visit. The visit to Haiti consisted of a tour of the devastated areas of Port-au-Prince caused by the January 2010 earthquake that killed nearly 300,000 people and left much of the city and its infrastructure in ruins. The group also met with Government and private groups who are working to rebuild the City.
The purpose of the tour and meetings was to identify the best ways for APWA to offer assistance, education, and expertise to the Haitian people from the more than 28,500 public works and infrastructure professionals that are our members. Several potential opportunities were identified.
For more on the Haiti intiative, please open this link:
Global Solutions in Public Works – Guadalupe Carney, Honduras -- Randall Harrison
Randall Harrison has been approved to serve as a mentor and educator for an outreach storm water management project in the village of Guadalupe Carney, Honduras. Mr. Harrison will lead a group of Guadalupe Carney villagers and University of Portland Engineers Without Borders USA Chapter students who are implementing a continuing plan for stagnant water and storm water control in the Village of Guadalupe Carney. The May 2012 trip will benefit Guadalupe Carney by constructing a ford crossing in the village.
IAC Chairman Mary Monahan commented that “Mr. Harrison’s role as public works leader/mentor/educator for this project reinforces APWA’s role as an educational association on an international platform. We are very pleased to see that one of our APWA public works community members can provide the expertise to lead this community and EWB-USA’s student chapter in the implementation of this meaningful community development project.”
Mr. Harrison is an active leader in the APWA Northern California Chapter and is also professional mentor to the Student Chapter of Engineers Without Borders- USA, University of Portland, Oregon. Upon completion of the May project, Mr. Harrison will report on this project in an upcoming APWA Reporter article and at an upcoming meeting of his local APWA Chapter. The Guadalupe Carney, Honduras project is an ongoing project of the Engineers Without Borders-USA Student Chapter at the University of Portland. APWA and Engineers Without Borders-USA have a Memorandum of Understanding that encourages cooperation among our respective memberships in international outreach.
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