BROWNSVILLE, Texas (October 4, 2019) – The American Planning Association (APA) Texas Chapter on Tuesday, October 1, 2019, announced City Commissioner At-Large “B” Rose Gowen has been recognized as a Planning Advocate in the Texas 2019 Planning Awards Program.
The Texas Planning Awards Program recognizes outstanding efforts in planning achievements and planning leadership in Texas. These awards represent the state’s highest planning honors. The Awards Selection Committee evaluated nominees based on originality and innovation, engagement, implementation and effectiveness, quality, and promotion of planning.
Gowen was elected to serve as Brownsville City Commissioner At-Large “B” in 2009.
As a commissioner for the City of Brownsville and physician for over 20 years, Gowen has focused her career on issues related to smart growth, quality of life and the combating of obesity and chronic disease. Through a collaboration with the University of Texas (UT) School of Public Health-Brownsville, Dr. Gowen was instrumental in developing the city’s first farmers’ market, which has been recognized as a model of excellence by the Texas Department of Health and the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission. She also led an initiative to expand Brownsville’s rail-trail into a citywide network—and create a citywide hike and bike plan—helped pass the city’s first commercial sidewalk and Complete Streets resolutions, and spearheaded efforts to provide family-oriented active living programming. Recent awards for Brownsville include its recognition in 2014 as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health winner and its 2016 Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly City designation by the League of American Bicyclists.
“On behalf of the City of Brownsville, we congratulate Commissioner At-Large “B” Rose Gowen on this well-deserved achievement,” said Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez. “This recognition honors the efforts and dedication by Commissioner Gowen and shines a spotlight on the hard-working residents of Brownsville who help build a vibrant healthy community.”
“These awards are a testament to a community’s commitment to good planning practices,” said Doug McDonald, AICP, President of APA-Texas. “Our award recipients exemplify many facets that make up effective planning – including community engagement, housing, transportation, and economic development. It is an honor to recognize the efforts of elected and appointed officials, residents and businesses, and city planners who all played an important role with the development of these plans and projects.”
To read more about each award category and award recipient, visit www.txplanning.org/2019planningawardwinners/ .
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