You beauty Whakatāne!
Whakatāne reigns supreme, after coming out on top at the national Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards held at Parliament House in Wellington last night.
Run annually since 1972, the awards, which celebrate sustainability and environmental excellence, inspire, recognise and acknowledge those individuals, schools, community groups, towns and cities working passionately to Keep New Zealand Beautiful.
The Supreme Towns & Cities Award winner is chosen from across all the Towns & Cities applicants and is the judge’s top pick from the set of finalists. The entry was deemed an “absolute stand out above all other applicants.”
Those judging the awards paid homage to the “passion and commitment” of the people of Whakatāne and the district’s strong focus on biodiversity. While bringing a tighter cohesion to environmental efforts through closing the gaps in understanding between rural areas and Whakatāne township was also noted.
Mayor Judy Turner says the award recognises the collective efforts of the people of Whakatāne, who, as kaitiaki of our rohe, and through a number of collaborative initiatives, work towards the common goal of protecting and restoring our local environments, and keeping our slice of Aotearoa, beautiful.
"Our stunning rivers, gardens, parks and reserves, and beaches, certainly give us the upper hand, and we take pride in their maintenance, protection, and beauty.
She adds, “Positive feedback from our manuhiri make our efforts worthwhile, but what sets us apart is our commitment to regenerating the diverse landscapes that make our place so special. This is essential to ensure Whakatāne continues to be not only beautiful, but liveable as we navigate climate change.
“A special mihi to our local whānau, hapū and iwi, community groups, and our many partner organisations for their collaborative efforts on numerous pest management and waste reduction projects which each contribute to reducing our impact on Papatūānuku.
Receiving mention from the Judges was Council’s Seed Library initiative at Te Kōputu a te Whanga a Toi which helps to get local tamariki and rangatahi involved in planting and interested in the regeneration of our area. As was the work undertaken to map our Districts’ trees as part of the development of an urban tree strategy to better understand the value of trees and how their lifespan impacts the district.
“These sustainability and environmental approaches help to embrace and safeguard our rich history, strong cultural identity and our diverse and beautiful natural landscape - so that they can continue to be enjoyed by future generations.”
Whakatāne will receive, as part of the Resene awards sponsorship, a mural painted in our town by a local artist up to the value of $10,000.