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Nominations have opened for the 2016 New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA) Awards, designed to recognise and celebrate those whose efforts have made a lasting contribution to the New Zealand recreation industry.

Introducing the Awards, NZRA Chief Executive Andrew Leslie stated that people who work hard to provide New Zealanders with high quality recreation opportunities deserve greater recognition, whether as individuals or organisations.

Leslie stated “the NZRA Awards celebrate those who are making New Zealand a better place for recreation, and helping people get active and connect with others.

“Recreation plays a vital part in making individuals happy and healthy, and communities resilient. It’s important that we publicise the good work that’s happening around the country and making a real difference in people’s lives.”

Last year’s award winners included Te Ara Piko – The Meandering Pathway, a collaborative project between the Rotary Club of Plimmerton and Porirua City Council which won the award for Outstanding Project for its work in regenerating Pauatahanui Inlet through revegetation and recreation.

Sport Beyond School, a project jointly run by the University of Auckland, Sport New Zealand, Auckland Council, Sport Auckland, Counties Manukau Sport, Harbour Sport, Sport Waitakere and College Sport Auckland, picked up the award for Outstanding Community Recreation Programme for its research helping students transition into university recreation and sport after leaving school.

The Outstanding Facility award went to the Arataki Community Centre in Tauranga, while Auckland Council’s Albany Lakes Civic Park received the Outstanding Park award. The Coastlands Aquatic Centre in Kapiti received the Outstanding Pool award, and the Outstanding Research, Planning, and Policy award went to Hamilton City Council’s Playgrounds of the Future programme.

Individual award winners included Emerging Recreation Leader of the Year Grant MacLeod; Richard Lindsay, who received the Mark Mitchell Memorial Trophy; recipient of the Ian Galloway Memorial Cup Chris Close, and Paul Stuart Memorial Award winner Craig Carter. Auckland Council’s Tepid Baths Redevelopment and Parrs Park were also highly commended in the Outstanding Project and Outstanding Park categories respectively.

Fellowship Awards were also presented to lifelong achievers in the field of recreation Jamie Delich, Robin Pagan and John Latimer.

The 2016 Awards will be presented on 10 November during the Awards Dinner at NZRA’s National Conference, which will be held at the Millennium Hotel in Queenstown from 9th to 11th November.

Award nominations close on 15 September 2016.

For more information or to make a nomination, visit the NZRA Awards webpage under Professional Development at www.nzrecreation.org.nz

Lower image shows Arataki Community Centre, Tauranga City Council winner of the NZRA's 2015 Outstanding Facility Award.

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