Kingston’s “Seriously Smart” Presentation a Hit at NYC Summit

Published on: 2014/06/06 - in Featured Releases

Kingston’s delegation showcased our connected community to celebrate our status as one of the Top7 Smartest Communities in the world at the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) Summit in New York this week.

“Being recognized as a Top 7 Intelligent Community acknowledges the success of our community. Our innovative businesses, schools and universities, cultural stakeholders, social organizations and engaged citizens all share in this,” said Mayor Mark Gerretsen. “Kingston is a diverse and vibrant community finding new and innovative ways to meet the needs of our residents, visitors and businesses from around the world. The Summit was a great opportunity to showcase Kingston and share our stories.”

While Toronto took top honours at the event, Kingston’s “Community as Canvas” presentation made use of the Summit participants’ social media response to presentations representing Kingston’s vibrant culture, including: Joe’s Musical Lending Library (MILL), the Shoreline Shuffle, National Aboriginal Day, Fort Henry, The Gertrudes, Poet Laureate Eric Folsom , the La Salle Causeway “singing” Ode to Joy and an artwork by Chantal Rousseau entitled “Duck vs. Cat in a Shark Costume Riding a Roomba.”

Over the course of the four-day Summit in New York, participants were engaged through social media and participatory activities designed to connect Kingston with New York City. They experienced a taste of history, literature, art, music, video and public interventions that knit together to provide an intriguing glimpse into what makes Kingston so culturally rich.

The ICF evaluates a community’s intelligence by looking at how it has seized the opportunities presented by broadband and information and communications technology to create economic, social and cultural opportunities.

In naming Kingston a 2014 Top7 Smart Community, the ICF cited Sustainable Kingston, Queen’s University and PARTEQ Innovations, St. Lawrence College, Federal GreenCentre Canada, Fuel Cell Research Centre, the High-Performance Virtual Computing Lab, the City’s Culture Plan.

The City, the Kingston Economic Development Corporation and Utilities Kingston worked together on the application that resulted in this international recognition.

Want to know more about what makes Kingston Seriously Smart? Check out SeriouslySmartKingston.com.


Release source: City of Kingston