Parks and Leisure Australia recognise Nick Cox for long term support

Celebrating the achievements of the parks and recreation industry, Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA) has announced its 2021 Awards of Excellence winners, with Belgravia Leisure Chief Executive Nick Cox presented with the body’s highest individual honour.

Over 100 people from across the country today came together in a virtual setting to celebrate, what PLA called “our industry's brightest minds and most creative, sustainable and innovative initiatives from across Australia”.

43 finalists competed for one of 13 award categories, with the following winners announced.

Frank Stewart Distinguished Service Award
Nick Cox from Belgravia Leisure was awarded PLA's most prestigious award for his long-term, active support of Parks and Leisure Australia, and more broadly to other organisations that promote and support the parks, leisure and community sport sectors.

PLA advised “Nick's personal and professional contributions toward enhancement of the standard of the industry has been extensive, impactful and enduring.”

National 'Pivot' Award of Excellence
The Education and Visitor Programs team at Sydney Olympic Park rapidly transitioned their school excursions, public tours, Ranger talks, professional workshops and sustainability events into interactive online experiences through a variety of video platforms.

This enabled ongoing access to learning and continued community participation in the life of the precinct.

David Aldous Young Professional of the Year Award
Hsar Ju is an inspirational Community Ranger dedicated to connecting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities to nature.

PLA advise “born in a refugee camp on the Thai Burma border he is Parks Victoria's first park ranger from a refugee background and is determined to share his knowledge so he is not the last.”

Best Regional/Rural Industry Contribution Award
Wollondilly Shire Council took out this award for their project Telopea Park RFS Fire Truck Memorial Playground. This project celebrates the spirit of a rural community through the successful delivery of a lasting legacy in honour of two volunteer firefighters through a unique RFS Fire Truck Memorial Playground in the small village of Buxton, NSW.

Best Use of Technology Award
"Putting sport and local government on the same page won ActiveXchange Pty Ltd this award” PLA advise.

Through a collaboration between ActiveXchange and the NSW Office of Sport, the SportsEye Network unlocks the potential of data from 30 sports, so they can evidence growth potential and community impact on a rolling basis. This puts sport and LGAs not just on the same page, but on the same team.

Community Based Initiative of the Year Award
The City of Melbourne and YMCA Victoria’s YMCA Skate Ambassadors X Skate Melbourne program models a positive, inclusive and safe skating culture. Designed to have lasting impact, profile the sport and advocate for the future of Melbourne's skating community, breaking down barriers to participation and foster a positive relationship between city skaters and visitors, businesses and residents.

Community Facility of the Year
The City of Burnside’s Shed at Conyngham Street depot redevelopment is an innovative planning project that transformed an unsightly and underutilised council storage depot into a unique, multi-purpose community hub. With a focus on community use and environmental sustainability, the redevelopment merged five disparate uses into a cleverly designed single site.

Major Event of the Year Award
The City of Port Phillip transformed the St Kilda Film Festival 2020 to an online event in just six weeks, so it could continue to provide a showcase of Australia's emerging cinema in people's homes.

Park of the Year Award
City of Casey won this award for Livvi's Place at Edgebrook which showcases an innovative model of designing with empathy and story through play for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Playspace Award (less than $500,000)
Mike Hewson took out the award for the best playspace project valued at less than $0.5 million. Mike Hewson envisioned St Peters Fences, a public art playground that recreates the front fences of houses demolished in St Peters, NSW.

Playspace Award (more than $500,000)
City of Perth and Playce took out the award for the best playspace project valued at more than $0.5 million. The new Koolangka Koolangka Waabiny Playground was created to welcome people of all ages, abilities (both physical and cognitive) and cultural backgrounds to enjoy the space, to socialise and play together.

Research Award
The CityGreen Lab Pty Ltd undertook research into into A Better Approach to Providing Urban Greenspace and used comparative case studies of two fast-growing, mid-sized cities in Australia and Canada to reveal insider perspectives and inform seven key principles for practitioners.

Strategic Planning Award
Fiona Robbé Landscape Architects' the Waverley Inclusive Play Space Study provides a blueprint to direct the future provision, planning, design and development of public inclusive play spaces across the Waverley local government area.

Award category sponsors included Belgravia Leisure, Christie, Endeavour Turf Professionals Pty Ltd (ETP Turf), GreenLife Group, Otium Planning, Playground 123, Softfall Testing and Syngenta.

Images: Award winners Belgravia Leisure's Nick Cox (top) and the Telopea Park RFS Fire Truck Memorial Playground (below, credit: Moduplay).