The 2018 Recreation Award winners represent the quality recreation opportunities available in New Zealand.
The New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA) believes recreation creates great New Zealanders. People who are healthy
and well connected to their communities and the environment grow up with the opportunity to pursue their dreams and make
lasting contributions to society. The recreation industry encompasses the people, places and organisations that enable
these experiences to occur and the NZRA Recreation Awards honour the people who are integral to making New Zealand a
world leader in recreation.
The winner of Outstanding Event 2018 was the Anchor AIMS Games. Tauranga City Council worked in partnership with the
AIMS Games Trust and Sport Bay of Plenty to bring the largest international sporting event for 11-13 year olds in the
southern hemisphere to Tauranga.
The YMCA North Shore Recreation Centre were awarded Outstanding Facility 2018. Established in 1973 as a recreation
centre, the facility now services the needs of kids, families and the local community with a 40 x 30m indoor stadium,
two basketball courts, a fully equipped and serviced fitness centre, group exercise studio, community rooms, squash
courts and a physiotherapy centre specialising in knee rehabilitation.
Outstanding Park 2018 was a hotly contested category, with the judges awarding a merit to Mauao Historic Reserve - the
most popular natural fitness and leisure park visited in the Bay of Plenty. The winner in this category was Anderson
Park Playground - Napier City Council with Boffa Miskell
Centrally located within one of Napier’s premier suburban parks, this destination park for all ages and abilities
comprises structures for climbing and sliding, flying foxes, swings, water play, functional artwork with messages in
braille and interactive elements, including a xylophone, musical bridge and drums.
The winner of Outstanding Pool 2018 was Huntly Aquatic Centre, ran by Belgravia Leisure. It is a relatively small pool,
yet 8% of the whole community is enrolled in their learn to swim programme.
The award for Outstanding Community Recreation Programme 2018 went to the Citycare Group for their Connect the Community
initiative. This was a partnership set up with the Student Volunteer Army after the Christchurch earthquakes to help
with clean ups, planting and mulching and it has developed into an active volunteer support and engagement approach. The
judges awarded a merit in this category to Hutt City Council for their Kiwisport Fundamental Movement Skills programme.
Outstanding Project 2018 went to Tauranga City Council for Kopurererua Valley. Tauranga’s huge 364 hectare inner-city
park development project has seen a previously toxic, overgrown, weedy valley turned into an outstanding natural
environment. This has been achieved in partnership with tangata whenua in an urban setting alongside cultural,
community, historical and recreational values. The merit in this category was awarded to Tairāwhiti Connext Charitable
Trust for their Bikes in Schools initiative.
There were two merits given for Outstanding Research, Planning and Policy 2018; for the Scott Point Sustainable Sports
Park Masterplan and the MacLean Park Refresh: Community Engagement Project.
The winner was Auckland Council for Low Carbon Parks: Developing a Carbon Inventory for a Sports Park. This was a piece
of research undertaken in-house by Auckland Council, considering what impact parks can play in tackling climate change,
reducing greenhouse gas emissions and raising public awareness.
Mark Hammond of Kāpiti Coast District Council was named Emerging Recreation Leader for 2018. Mark has been working in
the recreation sector for the past five years at a local government level and demonstrates exceptional leadership
qualities in the work he carries out.
The Paul Stuart Memorial Award was given to Mark Blake. His colleague that nominated him said "Those of us who have had
the opportunity to work directly for Mark understand the impact, passion and energy he brings to the job. On the outside
Mark may appear driven by achieving great financial results but even a cursory look will show the impact he has in
driving dozens of community-based programs that ensure our society is a better place to live."
Jane Aickin was the recipient of the Ian Galloway Memorial Cup. Jane’s 27-year career in the parks sector has involved
working for multiple organisations in multiple roles. She has led significant achievements in Auckland’s parks and
played an active role in many industry-related organisations. Jane has contributed much to the industry at Governance
and voluntary levels and is a generous mentor of her time and knowledge to colleagues and young people in the sector in
general.
The NZRA Recreation Awards were presented at an awards dinner held in Auckland during NZRA's Recreation Conference. A
full list of award winners is available below.
2018 Winners
CategoryWinnerMeritOutstanding ProjectKopurererua Valley - Tauranga City CouncilBikes in Schools Tairāwhiti - Tairāwhiti Connext Charitable TrustOutstanding ParkAnderson Park Playground – Napier City Council and Boffa MiskellMauao Historic Reserve - Tauranga City CouncilOutstanding FacilityYMCA North Shore Recreation Centre - YMCA of Auckland Inc Outstanding EventAnchor AIMS Games - Tauranga City Council in partnership with the AIMS Games Trust and Sport Bay of Plenty Outstanding Community Recreation ProgrammeCitycare/SVA ‘Connect the Community’ - Citycare Group Hutt City Kiwisport Fundamental Movement Skills - Hutt City CouncilOutstanding PoolHuntly Aquatic Centre - Belgravia Leisure Outstanding Research, Policy and PlanningLow Carbon Parks: Developing a Carbon Inventory for Sports Parks - Auckland CouncilScott Point Sustainable Sports Park Masterplan - WSP l Opus and Auckland Council
MacLean Park Refresh: Community Engagement - Kāpiti Coast District Council and LuminPaul Stuart Memorial AwardMark Blake (Belgravia Leisure) Ian Galloway Memorial CupJane Aickin (Auckland Council) Emerging Recreation Leader AwardMark Hammond (Kāpiti Coast District Council)
Click on the below link to access photos of our winners
ends