Our Recreation Awards celebrate the people, places, programmes, and projects enhancing the wellbeing of people and place through recreation.
Our Recreation Awards Gala Dinner is held in November each year, part of the Recreation Leaders' Summit.
See the 2025 Recreation Awards winners
Award categories
Organisation Awards
Outstanding Event Award
Recognises a one-off or annual recreation festival or event that delivers exceptional value to its community. We are looking for an event with a clear intended outcome, supported by strong evidence of how that outcome was measured. The event should demonstrate its purpose, impact, and contribution to recreation in Aotearoa.
Nominations open in July
Outstanding Recreation Facility
Recognises an outstanding facility where the principal purpose of the built structure is land-based, dry recreation. We are looking for a facility that demonstrates excellence through strong usage, sound financial performance, and a clear contribution to community recreation. The facility must provide accessible spaces and services that accommodate people with disabilities and mobility issues, supported by objective data and evidence that show its impact.
Nominations open in July
Outstanding Community Recreation Programme
Recognises a recreation programme that has operated at least biennially for two years and demonstrates strong community involvement in both planning and delivery—not just through participant numbers. We are looking for a programme that delivers a clear community development outcome and shows how this outcome has been assessed or measured through meaningful community engagement.
Nominations open in July
Outstanding Park
Recognises parks that exemplify outstanding natural environments, with or without built structures. We are looking for a park that demonstrates excellence in its overall design, management, and community value, with a strong focus on the quality and character of the park.
Nominations open in July
Outstanding Project – within $500,000 Award
This award recognises an exceptional development or redevelopment of a recreation facility or strategy delivered with a budget under $500,000. We are looking for a project that demonstrates innovative thinking, effective use of resources, and strong community impact. The project should show how high-quality recreation outcomes can be achieved within a modest budget.
Nominations open in July
Outstanding Project – over $500,000 Award
This award recognises an outstanding development or redevelopment of a recreation facility or strategy delivered with a budget over $500,000. We are looking for a project that demonstrates excellence at scale, with clear community benefits, innovative design or planning, and a lasting contribution to recreation in Aotearoa.
Nominations open in July
Outstanding Research, Policy, and Planning
Recognises applied work in research, policy development, or planning that is current, relevant, and valuable to the recreation industry. We are looking for work that enhances the quality of information and strengthens decision-making across the sector. This award does not cover statutory documents such as reserve management plans. Note: This award uses a different set of judging criteria from other Organisation Awards.
Nominations open in July
Leader Awards
Emerging Recreation Professional of the Year
Recognises an emerging leader whose commitment to professional development, innovation, and leadership is exemplary. We are looking for a person who is under 30 years of age or has worked in the recreation sector for less than five years and is already making a meaningful contribution to the industry. Note: Nominees who do not meet these criteria may be eligible for another individual award.
Nominations open in July
Community Leader of the Year - new for 2026
This new award recognises an individual who shows strong leadership in community recreation and is on a pathway to becoming one of tomorrow’s sector leaders. We are looking for someone whose mahi makes a tangible difference at the community level, especially through initiatives that lift participation, support inclusion, champion sustainability, and strengthen local connections.
Ideal nominees may include community recreation advisors, coordinators of community events and programmes, leaders of kapa haka or cultural groups, and people driving participation for minority or under-represented communities.
Nominations open in July
Recreation Leader of the Year - new in 2026
This new award recognises an individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership working in recreation who is on a pathway to becoming one of tomorrow’s sector leaders. We are looking for someone whose mahi already makes a tangible difference in their team, community, and the wider recreation industry.
Ideal nominees may community recreation advisors, outdoor recreation leaders, supervisors, project managers and programme leaders.
Nominations open in July
Ian Galloway Memorial Cup
Recognises excellence and outstanding personal contribution to the wider parks sector. We are looking for an individual who demonstrates the same innovative and pioneering spirit shown by Ian Galloway, whose work in Wellington City during the 1950s and 1960s helped shape modern parks management.
Nominations open in July
Paul Stuart Memorial Award
Recognises excellence and outstanding personal contribution to the wider facility management sector. We are looking for an individual who reflects the dedication and professionalism demonstrated by Paul Stuart, for whom the award was first presented in 1995 in recognition of his significant contribution to the sector.
Nominations open in July
Mark Mitchell Memorial Trophy
Recognises excellence and outstanding personal contribution to the wider recreation industry. We are looking for an individual who embodies the dedication and impact demonstrated by Mark Mitchell, whose contribution to the recreation industry continues to be honoured through this award.
Nominations open in July
Recreation Aotearoa Fellowship Award
A Fellowship award recognises Recreation Aotearoa members who have made a significant contribution to the purpose, aims, and work of the organisation. We are looking for individuals who demonstrate an outstanding and sustained contribution to Recreation Aotearoa and to the advancement of the recreation industry.
Nominations open in July
Nomination eligibility
Any individual or organisation working in aquatics, community recreation, outdoors recreation, and parks, play, and open spaces can be nominated for a Recreation Award.
- Leader Award – the person must be nominated by another party.
- Organisation Award – an organisation can nominate themselves or be nominated by another party.
How to nominate
- Complete the nomination form, providing clear data or evidence showing how the applicant meets each judging criterion.
- Include three high-quality images to support your nomination.
- If the nomination is for a Leader Award, please provide a headshot of the nominee.
Nomination essentials
- All nominations must be submitted electronically. We do not accept hard copy nominations.
- You must respond to every judging criterion for your category.
- Nominations that don’t supply relevant evidence for each criterion will likely receive lower scores. Please take the time to familarise yourself with the criteria:
- Photos and videos supplied as part of your nomination may be used during the Awards presentation dinner and in Recreation Aotearoa marketing, including our website, social media channels, and media.
- Please provide clear, well-lit images, taken in a mix of landscape (horizontal) and portrait (vertical) orientation. Avoid blurry photos, screenshots, or images with heavy filters.
- Winners are not notified before the Awards ceremony. We want to keep it a surprise. We encourage all nominees to attend the dinner.
- The Recreation Aotearoa judging panel reserves the right to move a nomination to a different category if they believe it is more appropriate.