Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment Team Takes Home Top Accolade At The Central Property People Awards

26 October 

The Rotorua property community punched well above its weight at tonight’s Property Council New Zealand Central Property People Awards, with the people behind several of Rotorua’s most exciting property developments taking home both category and Supreme awards.

The Colliers Project Leaders Supreme Award and the Chow:Hill Architects Urban Design Award were awarded to the Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment Team, who have successfully transformed Lake Rotorua’s shores into a world-class destination that seamlessly marries the natural beauty of the land and the lake.

Working closely with local iwi and mana whenua Ngāti Whakaue, the project team – consisting of Rotorua Lakes District Council, Veros, AECOM, Isthmus, Tonkin + Taylor, and SEG – have delivered an ambitious lakefront masterplan that honors Rotorua's rich history and unique cultural identity. Visitors embarking on their hikoi across the site are immersed in the whenua's history and its profound significance to local Māori.

Judge Brian Squair of Chow:Hill Architects says, “the Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment is a marvellous example of well-considered urban design, the project is meaningful, considerate of its environment and most importantly, brings the community together. The project team embraced its role as a transformative force for the community. The space has become a haven for locals, a place that echoes the distinctive spirit of Rotorua and reverberates with a powerful cultural narrative.”

Meanwhile, the team behind the QE Health and Wellness Facility, also located in Rotorua, took home the Boffa Miskell Excellence in Sustainability Award while Rotorua’s Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa Team shared the Harkness Henry Judges’ Choice Award alongside BCD Group’s Sam Simpson. Hamilton’s Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library Project Team won the Veros Best Team Award.

Senior project manager Lisa Curtin of Colliers Project Leaders was named the Rider Levett Bucknall Young Achiever of the Year for her unwavering commitment to excellence.

“Lisa's ability to seamlessly transition between fields while consistently delivering outstanding results illustrates her passion for the property industry. Her calm under-pressure and problem-solving instincts marks her as a future industry leader”, says Squair.

Rebecca Ryder, a partner and director at Boffa Miskell, was awarded the Beca Women in Property Award, with the Judges commending her pivotal role in shaping Tauranga's open spaces and revitalisation projects, fostering collaboration with mana whenua, the community, and key stakeholders.

“Rebecca's enduring legacy is defined not only by her exceptional work ethic and leadership but also by her unwavering commitment to giving back, both within her organisation and in the broader community”, says Squair.

The CKL Property Professional of the Year Award was won by Adele Hadfield, strategic director at Veros, who was praised for her visionary leadership and enormous impact.

“Adele’s boundless passion, unwavering commitment to community, and her development of team and client growth make her an outstanding ambassador for her organisation, her profession, and the property industry at large”, says Squair.

Mark Morgan, group chief executive of Waikato Regional Airport Group was awarded the Fosters Outstanding Leadership Award and commended for reshaping the aviation landscape in the Waikato through initiatives such as the terminal resilience project, the development of the northern industrial park, acquisition of strategic properties, and investment in renewable energy like the solar farm.

Two awards were presented for the Hawkins Long Service Award. In Waikato, industry stalwart Simon Perry, director of Perry Group, was awarded for his leadership in business, philanthropy, sports, and the community. While in the Bay of Plenty, Classic Builders’ Peter Cooney was recognised for his remarkable contribution to the region, influential voice and longstanding commitment to transformational change.

Property Council chief executive Leonie Freeman says “it is a great pleasure to be able to celebrate and recognise the people behind the local projects and developments in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions. At its core, property is about creating spaces for people and communities to live work and play, which is even more reason to celebrate these dedicated property professionals who are shaping our regions, one project at a time.”

About the Central People Property Awards

The Central Property People Awards celebrate the people in property, recognising excellence and innovation in our region. The Awards are open to all Waikato and Bay of Plenty property professionals from throughout the property spectrum.

https://www.propertynz.co.nz/property-people-awards/central

Central Property People Award Winners 2023

• Colliers Project Leaders Supreme Excellence Award and Chow:Hill Architects Urban Design Award

Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment Team – Rotorua Lakes Council, Veros, AECOM, Tonkin + Taylor, SEG, Ngāti Whakaue

• Rider Levett Bucknall Young Achiever of the Year Award 
  Lisa Curtin, Colliers Project Leaders
• CKL Property Professional of the Year Award 
  Adele Hadfield, Veros
• Fosters Outstanding Leadership Award 
  Mark Morgan, Waikato Regional Airport Ltd / Hamilton Airport
• Beca Women in Property Award 
  Rebecca Ryder, Boffa Miskell
• Veros Best Team Award 
  Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library Project Team – Hamilton City Council, Veros, Chow:Hill, Livingstone Building, Designwell, AECOM, Te Haa o te Whenua o Kirikiriroa, Ngaati Wairere, Changing Places New Zealand
• Boffa Miskell Excellence in Sustainability Award 
  QE Health and Wellness Facility Team – DCA Architects, Veros, Watts and Hughes, BGT Structures, Innerscape, Stratum, Dobbie Engineers, Beca, CMW Geosciences
• Hawkins Long Service Award - Waikato 
  Simon Perry, Perry Group
• Hawkins Long Service Award - Bay of Plenty 
  Peter Cooney, Classic Group
• Harkness Henry Judges' Choice Award (shared)
  • Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa Team – Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust, Hawkins, Wayne Clarke Contracting, RCG Structural and Services, WSP, Veros, Dobbies Engineering, Stratum, Boffa Miskell
  • Sam Simpson, BCD Group

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