Waterview Connection takes out top civil construction award
Auckland’s Waterview Connection project took out the big award at the Civil Contractors New Zealand’s (CCNZ) National
Awards held today while other wins went to projects all over the country.
The awards programme is comprised of three groups: the CCNZ Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards; the CCNZ Z People
Awards and the CCNZ Connexis Company Awards.
Waterview Connection was up against the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway north of Wellington and the Stronger
Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild (SCIRT) in the Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards category for projects worth
more than $100 million.
Of the Waterview project, undertaken by the Well-Connected Alliance, the judges said: “It is arguably the most complex
infrastructure project undertaken in New Zealand. It is an outstanding example of what can be achieved when a diverse
group of constructors, designers and the client work together collaboratively to achieve a single goal, being the
delivery of exceptional facilities for the public.”
The project, for the NZ Transport Agency, delivered two of the nation’s longest road tunnels at 2.4 kilometres each and
a complex motorway to motorway interchange at Great North Road, five kilometres 5km of pedestrian/cycleway paths, skate
parks, BMX track, sports fields and an environmental upgrade of the Oakley Creek.
Other Hirepool Construction Excellence category winners included earthworks for the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway,
upgrade of SH3 in New Plymouth, dam remediation works in Whakatane, wastewater remediation works in Wellington and
maintenance of Dunedin city traffic signals.
Hirepool GM of Sales and Marketing, Gary Richardson, congratulated all the construction awards winners.
“We’re on a mission to provide safe, quality hire gear to our customers, who are all building a better New Zealand.
Sponsoring the Hirepool Construction Awards is a privilege for us. The work these companies have done in all entries is
a testament to the people in their teams. So well done to them all, but especially the winners.”
The Connexis Company Awards recognise employers that help staff to gain nationally recognised qualifications to create
strong career pathways. Connexis is the infrastructure ITO and provides civil employers with the tools for attracting
and training civil construction staff.
The winners over the four Connexis Company Awards categories were Construction Contracts in Lower Hutt, ICB Retaining & Construction in Auckland, Fulton Hogan Canterbury and the Fulton Hogan HEB Joint Venture.
Interim Connexis CEO David Worsnop said: “Connexis strongly supports the CCNZ Awards as they identify and celebrate
those employers and employees who have demonstrated commitment and can be clearly identified by their peers for their
passion for excellence.”
The Z People Awards celebrate great leadership in the civil construction sector. Two Christchurch men were joint winners
in the Emerging Leader Award: Harley Haywood, 27, Managing Director, Utilities Construction and Sean Wilson, 26, Project
Manager, Isaac Construction. The Training Development Award to recognise individuals who have developed a career path
went to Liam Woodmass, 27, a Ngaruawahia-based Renewals Engineer, at Downer NZ.
General Manager of Commercial at Z, Nic Williams, said Z was really happy to have been involved with recognising leaders
in the civil contracting industry.
“These leaders are succeeding in taking ownership of their development. If this year’s group of nominees is anything to
go by, the civil construction industry has a very bright future ahead.”
CCNZ CEO Peter Silcock said the judges had told him that their job to choose all the winners was particularly difficult
this year as the standard was so high.
“There’s been so many new complex and vital infrastructure projects up and down the country that show the
professionalism in our industry. Every one of the awards entries connect people together and/or connect them to
services.
“CCNZ is very proud of our members and the integral part they play in their communities and all these projects
demonstrate their level of commitment and dedication to creating a better New Zealand.”
End