CBCity Smart Cities delegation

If Canterbury-Bankstown is to become a thriving ‘smart city’, it needs to analyse why some initiatives introduced by other governments have been successful, while others have failed.

That’s the opinion of Mayor Khal Asfour who will lead a delegation, including a number of councillors, to the U.S and Canada next month.

"We have done some significant homework on the best locations which have implemented ‘smart’ initiatives, similar to those we are looking at," he said.

"We will be facing a hectic schedule, visiting New York, Boston and Toronto in just a week. We will meet their leaders and discuss lessons learned. It will then be our intention to apply those to the objectives we have in our own Smart Cities Roadmap.

"It is also an opportunity for us to further understand what it takes to progress in creating a ‘smart city’, so we can better deliver services to our local community."

Seeing new ‘smart city’ technologies being applied first hand, will be another important part of the visit.

"Take the City of Boston for example. It has a ‘Vision Zero’ goal, which aims to end serious traffic accidents by analysing the movement of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians," Mayor Asfour said.

"It is looking to achieve this through a number of initiatives, including the use of cameras, LED lights and sensors, to capture long-term data, to better understand what is happening on its roads.

"Similarly, New York’s smart city initiatives are addressing issues, such as street lighting efficiency, water quality and conservation, waste management and air quality.

"The aim of these measures is to reduce environmental impact and improve the quality of life for its residents and visitors – a similar goal to ours."

Mayor Asfour said the Canterbury-Bankstown Councillors are so committed to Council’s Smart Cities Roadmap and to be better informed on what is a relatively new approach to service delivery, they will be paying for their travel costs and giving up their own time to participate.

"Striving to become an even smarter city is a big step but we are committed to the journey," he said.