New Zealand’s best parks and outdoor spaces of 2019/20

New Zealand’s best parks and outdoor spaces of 2019/20 have been named

Recreation Aotearoa are thrilled to announce that there are 29 Green Flag Award® winning parks and open spaces in New Zealand this year.

The Green Flag Award® is an international programme that recognises and rewards parks and green spaces providing high quality and innovative recreational experiences for our communities. The award sets a benchmark standard for recreational outdoor spaces worldwide. Parks are awarded based on a criterion marked by experienced Green Flag judges throughout the country.

The 2019/20 Green Flag Award® winning parks are:

• Long Bay Regional Park, Auckland

• Tawharanui Regional Park, Auckland

• Wenderholm Regional Park, Auckland

• Ambury Regional Park, Auckland

• Olympic Park, Auckland

• Parrs Park, Auckland

• Sanders Reserve, Auckland

• Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland

• Auckland Domain

• Shakespear Regional Park, Auckland

• Taumanu Reserve, Auckland

• Hamilton Gardens

• Maunu Cemetery, Whangarei

• Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

• TECT All Terrain Park, Bay of Plenty

• Otari-Wilton’s Bush, Wellington

• Wellington Botanic Gardens

• Bolton Street Cemetery, Wellington

• Thompson House Park, Horowhenua

• Driscoll Reserve, Horowhenua

• Cornwall Park, Hastings

• Flaxmere Park, Hastings

• Havelock North Village Green, Hastings

• King Edward Park, Taranaki

• Gisborne Botanic Garden

• Queen Elizabeth Park, Masterton

• Tinwald Domain, Ashburton

This year two parks took away a Community Award. The Award is given to sites that are welcoming, healthy, safe and secure. The sites must also be well maintained and with a strong environmental management plan and proven community connection.

The Community Award winning parks for 2019/20 are Te Mata Park in the Hawkes Bay and Auckland’s Randwick Park.

Recreation Aotearoa Parks and Open Spaces Programme Manager and Green Flag judge, Karl Nesbitt said: “This year the Green Flag Award has been a positive challenge, with two new councils and seven new parks coming on board. As judges we’ve had the great opportunity to experience some of New Zealand’s quality places and spaces that are used by the community. A big thank you needs to go to the communities behind the management and delivery of these parks and to our judges who volunteer their time to share their knowledge with the park teams. We look forward to another year working with Green Flag Award recipients and sharing with the public the great spaces they provide.”

The Green Flag Award® is a great way for our local parks to enhance public attraction and engagement, maximise funding and revenue opportunities and give communities a sense of civic pride.

You can visit the Green Flag website to find out more about the programme, the winners, and how to get your parks involved: http://www.greenflagaward.org.uk/

-ENDS-

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