26 August 2004
Media Release

New Zealand Recreation Association Award Winners Announced

Awards presented at the NZRA National Conference, Queenstown 22 – 25 August

The New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA) is delighted to announce the winners of this year’s NZRA Awards Programme, recognising and honouring organisations and individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the recreation industry – and to the health and vitality of their environment and community.

“This year’s award entries and nominations have, again, been of a very high standard, making the judging process quite tough,” says NZRA President, Nigel Cass.

Comprising three categories and nine awards, the six Business Awards winners are:

- Tauranga YMCA and Tauranga City Council, wins the SPARC Push Play Programme Award for its Oddball Programme – an annual youth event for 11-16 year olds, held at the end of the school year and during school hours and which aims to increase youth participation in sport and recreation by organising fun, team activities across all sports.

- The YMCA of Auckland and Auckland City Council, wins the SPARC Win/Win Facility Award for its Mt Albert Community and Recreation Centre – as part of Auckland’s first recreational precinct designed to provide a focal point of activities for the whole community, the Centre runs a variety of fitness sessions, as well as community education skills-based activities and prides itself on being accessible to all.

- Wellington City Council was awarded the NZRA Outstanding Project Award for its Oriental Bay Beach, Suddenly Sophisticated build a beach project – dramatically improving the beach to provide a fabulous foreshore, improving quality of life for Wellingtonians and growth and prosperity for the Capital.

- Christchurch City Council’s Recreation and Arts Team wins the NZRA Outstanding Programme Award for JOLT, Mixed Ability Dance – a dance production group bringing people together in real ‘team’ events and supporting lifestyle choices, recreation and culture for disabled people – empowering them to develop their creativity and participate in mainstream activities.

- Christchurch City Council NZRA wins the Outstanding Research/Planning Award for its Recreation and Sport Indicators Project – following its Physical Recreation and Sport Strategy in 2002, Christchurch City Council researched and created an index to measure the health of recreation and sport in the community. This index charts ‘wellbeing’, tracks performance and aims to identify new opportunities in health, physical activity, environmental and social benefits.

- Manukau City Council Leisure Services scoops the Strengthening Families/Whanau Award for Outstanding Programme or Project for its Combining Libraries/Leisure Healthy Lifestyles Campaign – a project designed to promote awareness of healthy and active lifestyles to Manukau families through a series of free fitness assessments, displays of nutrition, health and wellness books in libraries, the provision of recommended reading lists and a radio advertising campaign.

The winners within the Individual Award category are:
- Rob Greenway of Rob Greenway and Associates, Global Leisure Group was awarded the Ian Galloway Memorial Cup for his career-long commitment to the Industry and in particular leading research and development further the parks and recreation industry
- John McGuiness of Hutt City Council won the President’s Award for his 40 plus years of service to the industry, leading the development of the very first pool supervision standards and managing award winning facilities and services
- Kay Holder won the Maunsell Scholarship Award for her Community Connections for Parks project.

NZRA is a progressive not for profit industry organisation committed to meeting the professional needs of people and organisations associated with all aspects of recreation, leisure, parks, open space management, aquatic, conservation and sport delivery.

NZRA – New Zealanders Recreating A Lot!

ENDS

© Scoop Media