SPARC invests $4.4 million in Active Communities

Media release
11 July 2005

SPARC invests $4.4 million in Active Communities

Several regions throughout New Zealand are the latest to benefit from a $4.4 million Active Communities investment from Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC), aimed at increasing physical activity levels within the community.

These regions include Auckland, Canterbury, Hawke’s Bay, Bay of Plenty, Nelson-Tasman and Wairarapa.

The latest investment round brings SPARC’s total Active Communities investment to date to $5.8 million.

SPARC General Manager Participation, Deb Hurdle said that the investment would provide communities with more access to quality information, services and programmes.

“We are working with local government to provide more opportunities for people to participate in their communities and to create supportive physical activity environments”.

Hurdle commended those involved as their hard work has paved the way for new and innovative projects.

SPARC’s Active Communities scheme is aimed at increasing participation in physical activity, at a local and regional level and now has Active Communities partnerships with over 30 territorial authorities.

Successful projects are announced by SPARC twice yearly. The successful projects from this round are:

Active Communities Programme
Christchurch City Council
$450,000 over three years
In partnership with the Canterbury Intersectoral Physical Activity and Nutrition Group. This is a collaborate project that seeks to coordinate and integrate community-wide, regional-level physical activity promotion, initiatives, and monitoring and evaluation.

Active Hawke’s Bay
Hastings District Council and Napier City Council
$500,000 over three years
Active Hawke’s Bay is a progressive three stage project designed to increase the physical activity level of Hawke’s Bay residents. The three phases of the project focus on (1) increasing awareness of regional opportunities for physical activity, (2) activity initiation and support programmes and (3) prioritising and increasing active transport across the Hawke’s Bay.

Way to Go
Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council
$285,000 over three years
Way to Go involves collaboration between Tasman District Council, Nelson City Council and Sport Tasman. Way to Go is a collection of region-wide strategies that will ensure that active choices are easier to make.

AK @ctive
Auckland City Council
$1,050,000 over three years
This project will: develop a physical activity network for Auckland City; develop and implement needs based programmes and activities around Council Assets; provide new, innovative opportunities for the community to participate in physical activity; develop and implement a communication and marketing strategy to support AK @ctive.

Auckland Regional Sport and Physical Activity Strategy
$1,000,000
This investment will go towards the implementation of the Auckland Regional Strategy which addresses the physical activity needs of people living in Auckland.

Youth Destinations Project
North Shore City Council
$615,300 over three years
This project is aimed at increasing physical activity levels for a specific target group – 9 to15 year olds, by increasing the uptake of activity during informal unstructured leisure time, in the natural, built and social environments. The investment will be used to develop a citywide Active Youth Advocate, along with cross-sectoral networks and programmes. This will extend the successful, ‘Summer Fun’ programme, which is aimed at under 8 year olds. The Youth Destinations Project will enhance the programmes through informed research, social marketing and effective monitoring and evaluation.

City on its Feet
Tauranga City Council
$430,000 over three years
This project will promote walking through community-wide campaigns and the setting up of support frameworks to encourage ongoing participation, using networks that are already in place and where necessary establishing new networks. City on its Feet will primarily provide opportunities for older persons and mothers with young children.

Championing Communities
Masterton City Council, Carterton District Council and South Wairarapa District Council
$85,000 over two years
The three councils in association with the Wairarapa Sport Education Trust, Sport Wairarapa and Sport Wellington will engage in capacity building of sport structures by working with teachers, families and children through primary schools.

For details of these projects and other SPARC community programmes visit SPARC’s website www.sparc.org.nz.

Ends

© Scoop Media