Playgrounds plan wins recreation association award

Hamilton City Council's plan to develop playgrounds across the city has won a New Zealand Recreation Association award.

The Council's Playgrounds of the Future Plan claimed the association's Outstanding Research, Planning and Policy Award, one of 10 awards announced at the association's annual conference.

The award-winning plan is a bold, inspiring and simple strategy involving a healthy collaboration between community and local government. The plan relies on a partnership model with financial contributions from funding organisations, donations from individuals, business sponsorship and council investment, which reduces the impact on ratepayers.

Hamilton has five destination playgrounds: Tauhara Park, Parana Park, Hamilton Lake Domain, Claudelands Park and Minogue. Two other destination playgrounds are planned for construction in the next 18 months – Dominion Park and Hamilton Gardens.


Photo courtesy of Hamilton City Council

Mayor Julie Hardaker said it is fantastic to receive this award and it acknowledged the work of a great team of staff and elected members who put the plan together.
 
"When we decided to develop Playgrounds of the Future, we knew it would be a new way of doing playgrounds but importantly a great way to generate partnerships and outcomes for our community," she says.
 
"The playgrounds delivered so far have been outstanding and generated so much excitement and fun.  Our thanks go to our community and business partners who have got into behind them by financially supporting the projects, and I also want to thank our great playgrounds staff who are the best in New Zealand.”

Sally Sheedy, the Council's Parks and Open Spaces Manager, says the team who worked on the plan are proud of their achievement in claiming the award.

"We worked really hard to develop an innovative plan that would meet our community's needs, and we feel we've done that. To be recognised by our peers in the sector, with this award, is a great achievement for us."

NZRA Chief Executive Andrew Leslie says the programme was a shining example of partnership in action.
“Recreation investment is vital for the wellbeing of our communities and Hamilton’s Playgrounds of the Future programme provides an outstanding model for how councils, businesses and communities can partner to create recreational amenities that are informed by local needs. Hamilton City Council is a deserving award winner and we are delighted to be able to recognise its efforts on the national stage.”