17 November 2006
MEDIA RELEASE For immediate use
Sparc Cycle-Friendly Awards Presented Tomorrow
The national SPARC Cycle-Friendly Awards 2006 will be presented at a ceremony at 2pm in the Government Caucus Room at
Parliament tomorrow, Saturday 18 November.
Wellington MP Charles Chauvel will present the awards to the finalists. Winners will receive a uniquely designed
“bicycle-bell” trophy and a certificate.
After the ceremony, Mr Chauvel will join attendees trying out a selection of weird and wonderful bicycles on the
Parliament forecourt, including a triple tandem, a recumbent, a penny farthing and a variety of folding bikes.
Nominations for the 2006 Awards include a nationwide mayoral challenge event, a shared cycle/pedestrian path in
Palmerston North, a workplace mileage policy that includes walking and cycling, a staff fitness programme in Mt
Maunganui, and free adult cycle skills courses in Tasman and Nelson.
Now in their fourth year, the Cycle-Friendly Awards are designed to acknowledge and celebrate some of the most notable
achievements in the country that are helping to promote cycling and to create a cycle-friendly environment. The Awards
were devised by the Cycling Advocates’ Network (CAN), the national organisation promoting everyday cycling, and are
sponsored by sport and recreation agency Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC), Ministry of Transport, Roger Boulter
Consulting, Avanti and Bike Wise.
Nominations were called for in four categories: best cycle facility project, best cycling promotion, cycle-friendly
commitment by a business and cycle-friendly commitment by a public organisation.
“SPARC supports innovative ideas that provide people with opportunities to get active. We congratulate the finalists and
CAN for working to improve the cycling environment for everyone,” said SPARC Active Living Manager, Richard Lindsay.
More than thirty nominations were received this year, with all nominators going into a draw to win a voucher from cycle
clothing company Ground Effect. CAN chairperson Robert Ibell was pleased with the quality of the nominated projects. "As
with last year, we had lots of great projects nominated in the cycling promotions and cycle facilities categories and in
one category we have had to select four finalists instead of the usual three", said Mr Ibell.
“The Cycle-Friendly Awards are helping to showcase some imaginative and effective projects that are making a difference
for cyclists," said Mr Ibell. "We're looking forward to working with SPARC and other partners to trial some regional
awards next year, as well as running the national event."
The finalists for the SPARC Cycle-Friendly Awards 2006 are (in no particular order) as follows:
Avanti Award for Best Cycle Facility Project:
- Pioneer Highway Shared Pedestrian/Cycle Path (Palmerston North City Council)
- Little River Rail Trail, Christchurch (Little River Trail Trust)
- SH73 Opawa Road Stage 2 reconstruction (Christchurch City Council)
- SH74 Styx Mill Overbridge widening and four-laning (Transit NZ, Canterbury)
BikeWise Award for Best Cycling Promotion:
- Christchurch City Council cycleway moratorium - Spokes Campaign (Spokes Canterbury)
- Safer Cycling in Nelson CBD (Nelson City Council)
- Bike Wise Mayoral Challenge (Bike Wise, HSC)
MoT 'Getting There' Award for Cycle-friendly Commitment by Business:
- Workplace cycle facilities (Tait Electronics, Christchurch)
- Kidsfest & BMX Bike Skills (Linwood Cycles, Christchurch)
- Staff Fitness for Bayfair Triathlon (Orica Adhesives & Resins, Mt Maunganui)
Roger Boulter Consulting Award for Cycle-friendly Commitment by Public Organisation:
- Life Cycle Courses: Of course you can cycle (Tasman District & Nelson City Councils)
- Bike Nelson Booklet (Nelson City Council)
- Ilam campus cycle-friendly initiatives (University of Canterbury).
ENDS.
For more information, see www.can.org.nz/awardsor contact Awards Co-ordinator Bevan Woodward, 021-122 6040,
awards@can.org.nz or Robert Ibell, CAN Chairperson, 04-972 2552
The Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) Inc is this country's national network of cycling advocate groups. It is a voice
for non-competitive cyclists - recreational, commuter and touring. We work with central government and local authorities
on behalf of cyclists for a better cycling environment. We have local groups, corporate and individual members
throughout the country - see our website: www.can.org.nz
Ends