Golden Foot Walking Awards

Golden Foot Walking Awards

Minister of Transport Simon Bridges stepped up to present the awards to three outstanding walking projects for the Golden Foot Walking Awards, announced at the 2Walk and Cycle conference in Auckland. The winners from Hamilton, Tauranga and Wellington demonstrate ways to improve the walking environment to create more liveable places for us all to enjoy.

Hamilton City Council’s “accessible kerb upgrade” project won Best Walking Facility 2016 for the new design that reduces the gap for everyone to easily get on and off the bus. Considered the biggest improvement in accessibility for bus users since ‘super low floor’ buses, the kerbs have seen big improvements especially for wheelchair users and parents with strollers.

Mainstreet Tauranga’s Wharf Street project won Best Walking Initiative 2016 for their business and community driven project to calm the traffic to allow a vibrant outdoor place with lots of activities.

Wellington Sculpture Trust won Best Walking Project 2016 for Park(ing) Day, taking over car parks to turn them into temporary art spaces making a creative walk through the city streets. Thousands of people took part following the mapped route and highlighting how enjoyable urban open space can be.

The 2016 Golden Foot Walking Awards, supported by Opus this year, are Living Street Aotearoa’s bi-annual award recognising great walking projects. Twelve finalists were selected from a big line-up of initiatives that reflected the diversity possible for walking projects.

Andy Smith, President of Living Streets Aotearoa, says, “I congratulate our three winners for their outstanding efforts that demonstrate how to make a city more liveable for everyone. These three quite different projects have enhanced walking through local vision and energy.

“Walking is part of every trip and we want people to get out and walk more. Walking is a free and easy way to get the exercise we need every day. Well done Hamilton, Tauranga and Wellington.”

ends

© Scoop Media