Contest awards winner a grand prize of $20,000

TORONTO, Aug. 8, 2011 /CNW/ - What makes your neighbourhood great? Is it the big trees? The friendly people down the street? Kids playing outside? Or the great coffee shop only a block away?

Now in its second year, Royal LePage is pleased to announce its My Great Neighbourhood contest. Canadians are asked to submit an entry online explaining why they love where they live. Winners are selected based on how creative, original, informative, and compelling their entry is. The number of Facebook votes the entry receives is also considered.

"Canadians have a lot to be proud about and the My Great Neighbourhood contest allows residents from coast to coast to creatively showcase the many reasons why they love where they live," said Phil Soper, President and Chief Executive, Royal LePage Real Estate Services.  "We encourage Canadians to share the beauty of their city, the caring spirit of their neighbours, or what makes them proud to live in their community."

In the fall of 2009 a not-for-profit group in North Oakville, The Oak Park Moms and Tots Centre, which offers poverty relief, parenting support and social opportunities to hundreds in the community, faced an uncertain future. Michelle Knoll, board member at Moms and Tots, entered the organization into Royal LePage's My Great Neighbourhood contest.

Knoll created a video explaining what a fantastic place the Moms and Tots was, and in the end she won, generously donating 100 per cent of her winnings to the centre. The money provided much needed relief from its financial difficulties, and the Oak Park Moms and Tots is still open today, offering its neighbours in need a higher quality of life. For a glimpse at the 2009 winning entry click here.

Canadians, groups or individual entrants are asked to upload a video, or as many as five images to the My Great Neighbourhood website, along with a short explanation outlining what it is that makes them so passionate about their neighbourhood.

After a voting period for the public and evaluation by a jury, the lucky winner(s) of the contest will receive a grand prize of $20,000. There is also a second prize of $3,500 and a third prize of $1,500.

"At Royal LePage, we're committed to giving back to the communities in which our agents live and work," said Soper.  "We look forward to receiving many entries and celebrating all of Canada's great neighbourhoods."

The contest runs until October 21, 2011. To enter, or for more information, please visitmygreatneighbourhood.royallepage.ca.

About Royal LePage

Serving Canadians since 1913, Royal LePage is the country's leading provider of services to real estate brokerages, with a network of 14,000 real estate professionals in over 600 locations nationwide. Royal LePage is the only Canadian real estate company to have its own charitable foundation, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, dedicated to supporting women's & children's shelters and educational programs aimed at ending domestic violence. Royal LePage is a Brookfield Real Estate Services Inc. company, a TSX-listed corporation trading under the symbol TSX:BRE.

For more information visitvisit www.royallepage.ca or www.brookfieldresinc.com.

Megan Stoudt
Megan.stoudt@fleishman.ca
416 645 8206