Two members of the Stanley Park Ecology (SPE) community were recently recognized by the City of Vancouver for their outstanding contributions to innovation, sustainability, and community leadership.
About the City of Vancouver Awards of Excellence
Hosted every four years, the City of Vancouver Awards of Excellence celebrate individuals, youth, and organizations who have made remarkable contributions to improving life in Vancouver. These awards honour excellence across multiple categories — including Entrepreneurship Cornerstone, Impact in Innovation, Leadership in Reconciliation, Vibrant Vancouver, and more.
Through these awards, the City recognizes those who go above and beyond to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and connected community. This year’s ceremony was held at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown, bringing together changemakers from diverse fields to celebrate their achievements.
Gabriel Dalton — Impact in Innovation Award Recipient
Gabriel Dalton, a SPE tech team volunteer (nearly 2 years!) and sustainability advocate, was also honoured with the City of Vancouver Impact in Innovation Award for his leadership in promoting energy-efficient technology and sustainable digital practices.
While volunteering with SPE, Gabriel contributed to the organization’s environmental mission by helping plant hundreds of trees, optimizing SPE’s website for accessibility and speed, and resolving key technical issues for both stanleyparkecology.ca and the Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration website. His behind-the-scenes work improved the online experience for thousands of local residents, educators, and nature enthusiasts.
Earlier in 2025, Gabriel also secured an official City of Vancouver Proclamation signed by Mayor Ken Sim, establishing Sustainable Technology Week (October 20–27) — a city-wide initiative recognizing the importance of low-carbon digital practices. He uses this experience and expertise to inform SPE’s website projects, ensuring that its online platforms follow the same principles of energy efficiency and digital sustainability championed through the proclamation.
Beyond his contributions to SPE, Gabriel leads the not-for-profit organization Oasis of Change, which focuses on digital sustainability and global reforestation. Through this initiative, he has helped plant over 9,000 trees across more than 20 countries and empowered organizations to reduce their digital carbon footprint through low-energy web design and eco-friendly technology solutions.
Rebecca Bollwitt — Entrepreneurship Cornerstone Award Recipient
Rebecca Bollwitt, past SPE Board Member and one of our greatest supporters in the local community, received the City of Vancouver Award of Excellence in the Entrepreneurship Cornerstone category.
Known widely as Miss604, Rebecca is Vancouver’s leading digital media pioneer and the founder of one of Western Canada’s longest-running independent blogs. Since 2004, she has used her platform to celebrate local events, small businesses, and environmental stewardship. Her work has supported more than 25 community campaigns each year, including the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards, Canuck Place Light a Life, and Covenant House Vancouver, collectively helping raise millions for local charities and nonprofits.
Rebecca’s commitment to storytelling, advocacy, and community connection continues to inspire thousands across Vancouver and aligns deeply with SPE’s mission to engage and educate residents in caring for nature.
Photo courtesy of Miss604.
SPE is proud to celebrate both Gabriel and Rebecca for their achievements and their continued efforts to make Vancouver a greener, more connected, and innovative city.
Learn more about the City of Vancouver’s Awards of Excellence: