Entry received from: Hastings District Council
Category: The Minister of Local Government’s Award for Excellence in Council-Community Relations
Almost every square inch of Flaxmere's new skatepark, Te Pae Whīra o Pā Harakeke, is the result of community empowerment - the act of taking excellent community engagement to the next level. Each of the 20 skate elements (chosen by skaters and their skater dads) the kiosks that are home to the kaitiaki, the coffee cart, every piece of art work (and there is a lot of it), and the plantings - all are chosen by the community for the community. The community even selected the park for the facility.
The finished product is something that instils great pride in both the community and Council, and proves the value of letting the people hold the design pen.
Thank you to our category sponsor