Media release
29 November 2012

Auckland Council scoops top prizes at NZRA awards

Auckland Council parks, recreation and leisure staff have been awarded some of the highest industry recognition on offer.

At last week’s New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA) conference, council staff, both individuals and teams, and council programmes won a total of five awards.

Council’s Sports Field Capacity Development Programme won the ‘Outstanding Research, Policy and Planning Award’
Howick Recreation Centre won ‘Outstanding Recreation Facility of the Year’.
AMP’d youth programme won ‘Outstanding Recreation Programme of the Year’
Georgie Witehira, Group Manager of Manukau Leisure’s western sites, received the Mark Mitchell Memorial Award for her outstanding contribution to the recreation industry over 25 years
Judy Tipping, Contract Relationship Manager for council’s contracted out sites, won the Paul Stuart Memorial Award for excellence and outstanding personal contribution to the wider facility management industry.

In addition, council owned and contracted facility Glen Innes Aquatic Centre, managed by Community Leisure Management (CLM), was named Outstanding Pool.

Mace Ward, acting manager of Parks, Sport and Recreation, says NZRA presented an excellent conference that focused on the theme of Embracing diversity – growing stronger together.

“This theme resonated with us at Auckland Council, where we are constantly responding to diverse community needs and maintaining Auckland’s natural diversity.

“It was gratifying to see Auckland Council staff and programmes recognised at a national level during the awards ceremony. This demonstrated the depth of our organisation and the contribution parks, sports and recreation makes to creating Auckland the world’s most liveable city,” he says.

NZRA Chief Executive, Andrew Leslie, noted that the judging panel was impressed with both the quality and level of nominations and those selected represent the best, most successful people, facilities, projects or events in the past year.

“The nominees were all very good, but the winning nominations were outstanding,” he said.

Also announced at the conference was the appointment of council volunteer and biodiversity coordinator Paul Duffy to the NZRA Board as the Generate Young Leaders nomination.

ENDS

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