Invercargill parks manager’s 50 years acknowledged with NZRA Fellowship Award

Robin Pagan, Invercargill City Council Parks Manager, was the recipient of the New Zealand Recreation Association’s Fellowship Award at its annual conference in Wellington last year.

Pagan also marked 50 years continuous service with the Council’s Parks Division in January - including 23 years as Parks Manager.

Pagan (pictured) is widely respected in the community and by nurseries and garden clubs for advice on practical planting and landscaping.

He has contributed to many landmark projects including:

• Achieving and retaining the New Zealand Gardens Trust ‘Garden of National Significance’ 5 stars for Queens Park since 2006
• Development of the Jessie Calder Gardens, Queens Park (1989)
• Development of Japanese Gardens, Queens Park (1997)
• Redevelopment of Queens Park Aviary (1998)
• Travelled to the Sub-Antarctic Islands to gather species for development of the Sub-Antarctic Island Gardens (2004)
• Development of a Victorian Stumpery, Queens Park (2012).

Thanks to Pagan’s management, Invercargill’s park won the Environmental Innovator Award for Sustainable Energy Use after installing a wood chip boiler ( which is fuelled by Parks-generated wood waste) at the Parks nursery.

Pagan has been a member of the NZRA since 1997 and a member of its predecessor, the Parks and Recreation Administration, since the 1970s.

The NZRA award is granted to members who have made an outstanding and sustained contribution to the purpose, aims and work of the association.

3rd February 2016 - PARKS WEEK TO ADVOCATE FOR THE VALUE OF THE OUTDOORS

21st December 2014 - NZRA HIGHLIGHTS THE VALUE OF COUNCIL RECREATION INVESTMENT

5th September 2013 - INVERCARGILL CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS SELLING OFF PUBLIC PARKS