NZ Recreation Association (NZRA) Awards 2007

New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA) Awards 2007

About NZRA
NZRA is a not for profit industry organisation committed to promoting recreation and providing professional services to the recreation sector. The sectors that NZRA represents include public swimming pools, parks and open spaces, recreation facilities and recreation programmes. Our vision is that Recreation is vital to the wellbeing of New Zealanders.

This week (Wednesday 28 – Friday 30 November 2007), more than 200 recreation professionals attended the NZRA national conference in Rotorua. NZRA wishes to thank the following industry leaders for supporting the conference:

Key partners: SPARC and Water Safety New Zealand
Key sponsors: OPUS, CLM and Excell
Key stakeholders: SFRITO, NZHITO and Prophet IAM.

NZRA’s national awards dinner was held on Thursday 29 November 2007. The following is a complete list of the awards presented:

SPARC Push Play Award 2007

Winner: The ‘Never2old’ exercise programme
Organisation: AUT University and YMCA of Auckland

Established in 2002, this exercise programme for over 60 year olds is working wonders. Each month more than 3000 people participate across 12 venues – doing everything from Tai chi to belly dancing.

NZRA Outstanding Project 2007

Winner: Kokako Lodge
Organisation: Auckland Regional Council

Once a family-run camp, this facility has evolved into a self-sustaining, one-stop shop for schools ‘Education Outside the Classroom’ (EOTC) outdoor experience. Focused marketing, streamlined systems and processes, national affiliations, improved facilities and experienced staff have helped turn the lodge into a leading recreation facility.

Winner: Wainoni Park Renewal
Organisation: Christchurch City Council, Housing New Zealand, Aranui Community Trust

A holistic, cooperative plan has turned Wainoni Park in Aranui, Christchurch, from woeful to wonderful. Set within a decile one suburb, the park was unused, unsafe and unappealing, until the Aranui Community Renewal Project teamed up with Christchurch City Council and Housing New Zealand and decided to transform the park.

Highly commended: Schools Health Project 10 Week Challenge
Organisation: YMCA of Auckland Inc
A fledging project targeting over-weight, college-aged children, the ‘10-week challenge’ is achieving great results.

NZRA Outstanding Park Award 2007

Winner: Olympic Park
Organisation: Waitakere City Council

Olympic Park has been re-developed and renovated in line with Waitakere City Council’s eco-city vision. The park’s purpose is to provide an integrated mix of organised sport and informal recreation opportunities, to attract local and city-wide users.

NZRA Outstanding Pool Award 2007

Winner: H2O Xtream
Organisation: Upper Hutt City Council

Focused marketing, upgraded facilities, customer-friendly staff and a massive dose of fun and commitment, have made H2O Xtream the winner of NZRA’s Outstanding Pool Award 2007.

Highly commended: Rotorua Aquatic Centre
Organisation: Rotorua District Council

With a commitment to business excellence, Rotorua Aquatic Centre is achieving great results. This year the centre achieved it’s Qualmark rating as an endorsed visitor activity, it was ranked first out of 58 pools in the corporate performance section of the NZRA Pool Yardstick programme, it broke through the $1 million revenue ceiling for the first time, and won the Central North Island Lifeguard Competition for the second year running.

NZRA Outstanding Event Award 2007

Winner: Ambury Farm Day
Organisation: Auckland Regional Council

This event has grown from small beginnings 20 years ago, to the single biggest one day free event funded by Auckland Regional Council (ARC) – with around 21,000 people attending. The purpose of this free family day is to make farming and outdoor recreation accessible to all Aucklanders – it’s a fun community event, which connects city people with country life.

Highly commended: All Ashore on Haulashore
Organisation: Nelson City Council, Tasman District Council, Department of Conservation

This inaugural event, marking the beginning of Conservation Week, saw 450 Nelson locals visit and enjoy the outdoors on the city’s iconic Haulashore Island. A collaborative effort between the Department of Conservation, Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council, the event was designed to be affordable, accessible and fun.

Highly commended: Auckland International Cultural Festival 2007 - Ethnic Soccer Cup
Organisation: Auckland City Council

In February, 350 people participated in Auckland’s inaugural Ethnic Soccer Cup. Run alongside Auckland City Council’s Auckland International Cultural Festival, the event was a great success, with 32 teams made up of 26 different nationalities participating in this fun, active, social competition.

NZRA Outstanding Research, Planning & Policy Award 2007

Winner: Yardstick – ParkCheck
Organisation: Prophet IAM

ParkCheck was designed to fill a gap in the parks industry. It helps measure service levels required by the Long Term Community Council Plan (LTCCP). The project compliments NZRA’s Yardstick Parks, by providing the qualitative measure of park users’ satisfaction. It is currently being used to review service levels, identify trends and work out what modern park users are looking for.

Highly commended: Lights, Camera, Planning – Using film to enhance community planning
Organisation: Auckland City Council, Arts, Community and Recreation Policy Group

Breaking with tradition, Auckland City Council has started using film as a way of capturing community opinion about new recreation facilities. The benefits of film are numerous – it is novel, engaging and honest. It adds emotion and meaning to peoples’ responses, and it empowers interviewees to offer their ideas and stories in their own words.

Highly commended: The Active Friendly Environment Project
Organisation: North Shore City Council

This three year research project was completed in July, and has provided valuable information for planners about the impact the environment has on residents’ level of physical activity. The study sought to understand how people perceive their physical environment and how this might influence the level of physical activity they undertake within it. The study was a partnership between AUT University, North Shore City Council and SPARC.

The Paul Stuart Memorial Award 2007

Winner: Alan Muir – Water Safety Advocate

Alan is a man committed to his work and sport. Over the past four decades he has invested his time and effort into his two main passions – water safety and rugby – and he has worked tirelessly for both causes.

The Ian Galloway Memorial Cup 2007

Winner: Chris Rutherford, Director, Prophet IAM

Chris has worked in the parks industry for nearly 30 years and during that time he’s become a recognised industry expert. He has experience in local government, consulting and private enterprise, but in 2001 he set up his own consulting businesses, Prophet IAM, which specifically supports the parks industry.

NZRA Maunsell Scholarship 2007

Winner: Robyn Cockburn, Algate Enterprises
Robyn has a long-held interest in the recreation industry. She is widely known and recognised for her commitment to (and advocacy for) industry professionalism. She has been instrumental in developing industry qualifications and was a strong supporter of NZRA in its establishment days.

Winning the NZRA Maunsell Scholarship will enable to Robyn undertake a research project called ‘Enhancing the work satisfaction of recreation administrators’.

NZRA President’s Award 2007
Winner: Trevor Maxwell, Deputy Mayor, Rotorua District Council

Trevor has long been an advocate of parks and recreation amongst his peers. This is evident in Rotorua’s fantastic parks and recreation programmes which are the pride of the city and the envy of many other cities across New Zealand.

Trevor is an avid NZRA supporter – he’s like an unofficial kaumatua – he’s also a kind, generous person and has done a wonderful job as this year’s conference convenor.

With 29 years experience, Mr Maxwell is Rotorua’s longest serving district councilor, and he’s been involved in a variety of portfolios during this time. However his interest in recreation started early in his career and he is currently the chairperson of the Community, Parks and Recreation Committee, a position he has held for the past seven years.

Trevor was born and raised in Rotorua. In 2002, he became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for his long-standing services to Maori culture, the arts and local government affairs.

Further Information:
Brendon Ward b.ward@nzrecreation.org.nz Tel: 027 224 2070

ENDS

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