The Ribbon of the Thames; The Heartbeat of our City

We are excited to announce that Civitas and Stantec are the winners of the Back to the River design competition.

I feel so proud to have seen this project evolve from a dream to a reality. This could have never been done if it weren’t for all of our passionate and dedicated volunteers as well as the support of our partners- the City of London and Upper Thames River Conservation Authority.

The five finalists presented their designs to the public on October 22^nd giving Londoners a view of what the future could hold. The job of the jurors certainly wasn’t easy, but after much deliberation they came to a decision that will help redefine our city and bring the community back to London’s beloved Thames River.

London Community Foundation took the lead on this project with the intention of mobilizing our community. My goal was to unite our community around a common cause; something everyone could take pride in. When we were researching potential projects to take on for our community mobilization strategy, we saw the impact river revitalization projects have on other communities. The positive impact is astounding! I know that the Thames River has the potential to do the same for London.

The Thames River is rooted to our community’s identity. Because of its significance to London, we knew revitalizing the Thames could have a great impact on our community. Although the Thames is such an important part of our community’s heritage, over time this important connection to our river has weakened and we have turned our back on it.

We sincerely believe because of its history and heritage, the Thames River has the power to mobilize Londoners and catalyze community change. That’s why we’re taking London Back to the River.

I am overjoyed to see so many Londoners engaged around this project. This is just the beginning. The future is so bright for London. I invite you to join us as we go Back to the River.

View the winning design