Ashdod, Kfar Saba and Kiryat Ono have jointly received the titles of the most
beautiful and greenest cities in Israel for the year 2012, the Tel Aviv-based
organization Council for a Beautiful Israel announced on Wednesday
evening.
The cities were the winners of the contest in its 19th year, and
joining them in the victory were the Upper Galilee Regional Council and the
community Kvutzat Yavne, as representatives of the greenest rural
areas.
All in all, approximately 120 cities and communities entered into
this year’s competition, which evaluated sustainability of urban infrastructures
and quality of life, according to the Council for a Beautiful
Israel.
Established in 1968, the council has a network of 2,000
volunteers throughout the country and works to deploy environmental education
programs – including for the Education Ministry and for the IDF.
“In
recent years we are seeing an increase in environmental awareness and a
significant change in the demands of citizens from their local government,” said
Weitzman Mashiach, the organization’s deputy director. “The Council for a
Beautiful Israel will continue to issue for public domain an independent index
that motivates authorities to improve the services and conditions they provide
their residents.”
This year, patrols from the council visited all of the
candidate cities and regions for several months, examining a diverse range of
parameters – such as city cleanliness, public welfare facilities, maintenance of
public buildings and preservation of parks and green spaces, the organization
said.
At the conclusion of the checks, the winner of the “big city”
category – those with more than 170,000 inhabitants – was Ashdod; the winner of
the “medium city” category – those with between 50,000 and 170,000 residents –
was Kfar Saba; and the winner of the “small city” category – those with under
50,000 people – was Kiryat Ono. Likewise, the Upper Galilee Regional Council was
victorious in the regional category, as was Kvutzat Yavne in the communities
section.
The cities, region and community received awards at a ceremony
on Wednesday night, attended by Avraham Katz-Oz, chairman of the Council for a
Beautiful Israel, as well as Interior Minister Eli Yishai, among other
leaders.
In addition to the winners mentioned, the council also presented
various smaller awards to the towns and cities of Haifa, Omar, Holon and
Yanuh-Jat.
“Ashdod is recognized as a green and sustainable city,” said
Ashdod Mayor Yehiel Lasri. “Thanks to the environmental revolution and the
investment of tens of millions of shekels in infrastructural development and
green projects, we have created a substantial improvement in the quality of life
of the residents.”
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Kfar Saba’s 110th
birthday, Mayor Yehuda Ben-Hamo said that the city is delighted to be receiving
the prize but “is not surprised.”
“Over the years Kfar Saba learned to
bestow upon its residents a high and uncompromising quality of life,” Ben- Hamo
said. “It is not just parks and green spaces, but the attitude and response of
the municipality to every need of the residents – these are urban policies that
will persevere in the coming years.”
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