While I'm sure this is a tremendous honour to the people at city hall who work hard in the public relations department, but I'm sure it comes as something of a surprise to many in the city itself that they've won several awards in the area of public communications. Beyond that though, I'm sure it comes as an even bigger surprise that this latest award is given to the city for its campaign to promote the new waste collection system.
Of course the onus is just as much on the people to stay informed about what's happening in our community as it is for the city to tell us. I've often pondered where the disconnect is, what else can the city do besides offer literature at city facilities, take out full page ads in the local weekly, send out press releases to all news outlets (including this one), take out ads on local radio, and post information to its website. Does the system always work? Well, there was that incident last fall where the city sent out a release about a public consultation the day before the first one, but it doesn't always go down like that.
Anyway, congrats to the city. Here's the press release:
GUELPH, ON, April 12, 2013 – The City Guelph was honoured for excellence in communications last night at the Canadian Public Relations Society Pinnacle Awards in Hamilton.
The City’s multi-year communications campaign—Give waste a new life—to support the conversion of Guelph’s curbside waste collection system won the Pinnacle Award in the communication program (external communications) category. The award recognizes the very best communications programs that span various disciplines of the practice to help organizations achieve overall goals.
Communications Coordinator Marina Grassi, who led organizational efforts on the program, accepted the award on the City’s behalf.
“Excellent communications help government offer programs and services that truly reflect the needs of the community,” says Ann Pappert, Chief Administrative Officer. “This is especially true for organizations that have adopted two-way communications models, through which stakeholder input is valued and shapes outcomes. We thank the Canadian Public Relations Society for recognizing Guelph’s work towards communications excellence.”
Highly coveted, the Pinnacle Awards honour communication skills, public relations programs and tactics created and implemented by CPRS Hamilton members from all sectors of the communications profession: government, business, trade associations, industry, agency and not-for-profit organizations.
The City of Guelph has earned nine awards for communications excellence in recent years, including three Pinnacle awards.
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