MEDIA RELEASE 29 October 2014

Gold handed out for NZ’s top walking and cycling champions

Gold medal Olympian cyclist Sarah Ulmer and Mayor of Wellington Celia Wade Brown tonight recognised New Zealand’s top champions for walking and cycling, when the winners of the national walking and cycling awards were announced at the 2WALKandCYCLE 2014 Conference in Nelson.

Awards coordinator Dirk de Lu says the Awards celebrate and recognise New Zealand achievements for better walking and cycling by acknowledging innovative new facilities, highlighting national best practise and rewarding ongoing commitment to walking and cycling.

Dirk says it bodes well for New Zealand that finalists for the awards came from all over New Zealand.

“New Zealand is increasingly recognising the valuable role walking and cycling plays in keeping our communities healthy, green and safe, and this is evident in the wonderful efforts we’re seeing nationwide to support these travel choices.

“The judges have had a hard time to decide because of the high quality of the entries and the high number of finalists. We warmly congratulate the winners – the bar was set very high and their success is thoroughly deserved.”

The winners are as follows:

Cycling Advocates Network (CAN) Cycle Friendly Awards 2014, supported by NZ Transport Agency

More information on the winners and finalists, and contact details for the entrants, can be found at the below link:

http://can.org.nz/article/nzta-cycle-friendly-awards-2014-finalists

ViaStrada award for Cycle Friendly Commitment by a Public Organisation

Dunedin City Mayor and Councillors

CAN award for Best Cycle Facility Project

St Vincent Street Cycle Way, Nelson

CAN award for Best Cycling Promotion

Cycling's the Go Summer Programme, Auckland

CAN award for Cycle Friendly Commitment by a Business

NZ Bus Road User Workshop

CAN award for Cycle Champion

Dr. Glen Koorey

Auckland Transport award for Best Joint Walking and Cycling Project

Adolescent Mobility Health Consortium

Living Streets Aotearoa Golden Foot Awards:

http://www.livingstreets.org.nz/node/4875

Best Walking Facility 2014

New Plymouth District Council, Let’s Go Streets Project

Golden Foot Best Walking Promotion 2014

New Plymouth District Council, Let’s Go School Travel Planning

Golden Foot Best Walking Project 2014

Christchurch City Council & Recreation and Sport Unit, The Breeze Walking Festival

Uli Neumann, co-convenor of the conference, says the committee is honoured to have Sarah Ulmer and Celia Wade Brown presenting the awards.

“Sarah and Celia have really gone above and beyond in bringing walking and cycling to the fore throughout New Zealand, and I know they will be thrilled at the calibre of the finalists.”

Celia, who also founded Living Streets Aotearoa, says the Golden Foot Awards have gone from strength to strength in recent years.

"Walking is the invisible glue that binds a successful city together. Walking underpins economic success, equity, physical and mental health. Modern progressive cities ask "Is our city walkable?"

“I’m delighted to see so many steps towards a positive culture for people on foot, of all ages and all speeds, for utility and recreation. “

Celia and Sarah have also spoken at the conference,

2WALKandCYCLE is New Zealand’s conference for better walking and cycling for everyday transport, recreation and tourism. Nelson is expected to be buzzing with engineers, transport planners, students, local politicians and academics converging on the picturesque city, which is regarded by many as New Zealand’s walking and cycling capital

For more information on the 2WALKandCYCLE Conference, visit http://www.2walkandcycle.org.nz/

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