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SPARC Cycle-Friendly Awards nominations called for

Nominations are open for the SPARC Cycle-Friendly Awards 2007 and New Zealanders are being asked to put forward their favourite cycling projects or people.

Devised by the Cycling Advocates’ Network (CAN), the national organisation promoting everyday cycling, and sponsored by Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC), the Cycle Friendly Awards are designed to acknowledge and celebrate some of the most notable achievements in the country that are helping to promote cycling and to create a cycle-friendly environment.

Nominations are being called for in five categories:
1. Avanti Award for Best Cycle Facility Project;
2. Land Transport NZ Award for Best Cycling Promotion;
3. Land Transport NZ Award for Cycle-Friendly Commitment by Business;
4. ViaStrada Award for Cycle-Friendly Commitment by Public Organisation and
5. Roger Boulter Consulting Award for Cycling Champion of the Year

Projects need to have been undertaken or completed between January 2006 and June 2007.

The Roger Boulter Consulting Award for Cycling Champion of the Year, a new category for 2007, is designed to recognise the contribution made by individual New Zealanders to the promotion of cycling.

The Awards co-ordinator, CAN's Gaz Sanvicens, said "Many Kiwis will know of an organisation, an individual or a project that's made a real difference for them as a cyclist. It's really simple to nominate them for a Cycle-Friendly Award - all the details are on the Awards website at www.can.org.nz/awards."

The prize winners in each category will be announced at a ceremony at the NZ Cycling Conference in Napier on Thursday 1st November. The Minister of Transport, the Hon Annette King, will present the awards to the finalists. Winners will receive a uniquely designed “bicycle-bell” trophy, a certificate, and a subscription to CAN.

Last year’s Cycle-Friendly Award winners included the Christchurch Little River Trail, the BikeWise national family fun ride event, a company providing lockable bike sheds, showers, clothes lockers and drying racks, and Canterbury University cycle-friendly sustainable transport initiatives.

Nominations are due by Friday 14th September. Downloaded entry forms from www.can.org.nz/awards should be completed and emailed to: awards[at]can.org.nz or post to: CAN, SPARC Cycle-Friendly Awards 2007 P.O. Box 6491, Auckland.

ENDS

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