MEDIA RELEASE
Hamilton
City Council’s Te Awa River Path Project won the 2020 Infrastructure New
Zealand Excellence in Social Impact Award, sponsored by Downer at the
ReBuilding Nations Gala Dinner last night.
The
project repaired and restored a 2.4km section of the Te Awa River Ride path
which runs along the western side of the Waikato River, while creating
employment for 50 people who had lost jobs due to COVID19.
Award
judge, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and award-winning social and sustainable
procurement expert Alice Bray said the Te Awa River Path was an excellent
example of an infrastructure initiative that has gone above and beyond to
enable outstanding economic, social and cultural outcomes. “Te Awa River project captured the heart
of the Excellence in Social Impact Award. Hamilton City Council went above and
beyond to provide for those facing unemployment due to COVID19, partnering with
their supplier base, other government agencies and their community to create
lasting economic and employment outcomes for their region. The swift action and
leadership taken by all involved in the Te Awa River project resulted in
positive change for the 50 individuals impacted, their whānau and wider
community. COVID19 required us to band together to support each other, a
mission that this project absolutely succeeded in.”
Hamilton
City Council (HCC) was granted funding by the Ministry of Business, Innovation
and Employment’s Provincial Growth Fund in June 2020 to enhance a section of
the much-loved Te Awa River Ride Pathway, which connects key destinations and
green spaces throughout the city and provides important recreation
opportunities for Hamiltonians. HCC sourced workers for the project from the
Ministry of Social Development, with a focus on employing those who were out of
work due to the COVID19 pandemic.
Another
aim of the project was to provide workers with skills they could use in future
employment. 17 workers completed HCC’s five-day Road Ready training programme
aimed at preparing workers for careers in the construction sector and equipping
them with transferrable skills they could use for life.
Recognising
the importance of the Waikato’s awa (rivers and waterways) to Iwi, HCC
partnered with Waikato-Tainui and Ngati Haua Trust to deliver the training
programme and project.
Infrastructure
New Zealand Board Member and award judge Tracey Ryan said the Te Awa River
project demonstrated a clear intention and genuine impact, “Hamilton City Council achieved a range
of outcomes with the Te Awa River Path project – enhancing the environment to
make Hamilton a great place to live, work, play and visit, while providing
immediate support and recovery to people who had lost jobs due to COVID19. HCC
also provided an important boost to the local economy by letting 100% of the
contract value to local businesses.”
Hamilton City Council was
chosen from 18 other entries to win the Infrastructure New Zealand Excellence
in Social Impact Award, sponsored by Downer.
Several
other projects also received special awards:
Highly Commended
- Auckland Council-owned Healthy Waters and Māori SME
Height Project Management for their Sustainable Outcomes Toolkit, a
user-friendly resource to help procuring organisations identify social
outcomes opportunities, embed them in the tender process and evaluate and
measure them.
- Citycare for their partnership with the Student
Volunteer Army to fund community impact projects and their commitment to
creating employment opportunities for Māori and Pasifika, the long-term
unemployed, the disabled, youth and women prisoners finishing their
sentences.
Special Award - Contribution to the Industry
- Mates in Construction for its contribution to the
construction industry in reducing the over representation of suicide and
poor mental health.
ENDS
For further information and
comment contact Sarah Lang on 021 733 434
