Hamilton e-bike path wins award

The Hamilton City Council’s Te Awa River Path Project cycleway has won the Downer sponsored 2020 Infrastructure New Zealand Excellence in Social Impact Award at the ReBuilding Nations Gala Dinner.

The project repaired and restored a 2.4km section of the Te Awa River Ride shared pathway which runs along the western side of the Waikato River, while creating employment for 50 people who had lost jobs due to COVID-19.

The Waikato River trails from Ngaruawhaia to Karapiro featured in an e-bike experience in EVs and Beyond.

The council’s e-mobility projects, including the pathway, were also included in a more recent story.

Award judge Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and award-winning social and sustainable procurement expert Alice Bray say the Te Awa River Path is an excellent example of an infrastructure initiative enabling outstanding economic, social and cultural outcomes.

“Hamilton City Council (HCC) went above and beyond to provide for those facing unemployment due to COVID-19, 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. COVID-19 required us to band together to support each other, a mission that this project absolutely succeeded in.”

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 and others.

About 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.

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.

“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 COVID-19,” Infrastructure New Zealand board member and award judge Tracey Ryan says.

“HCC also provided an important boost to the local economy by letting 100% of the contract value to local businesses.”

The council was chosen from 18 other entries.