Waitakere walkways win Golden Foot Award

Waitakere’s new network of walk and cycleways scooped a Golden Foot Award this week - acknowledging what the city’s pedestrians already knew – our walkways are the best.

The Project Twin Streams walk and cycleway network was judged to be the country’s Best Practice Walking Facility at the inaugural Best Practice Walking Awards – run by the New Zealand Transport Agency and Living Streets Aotearoa.

Waitakere City Councillor Linda Cooper says the Golden Foot Award is recognition of the partnership between the council and community that has allowed the Project Twin Streams walk and cycleways to flourish.

“This project of walk and cycleways shows how locally-led urban planning can meet local needs while also contributing toward national ideals such as encouraging sustainable transport and fighting the obesity epidemic,” Councillor Cooper says.

“Our popular network of walk and cycleways will sit nicely alongside the national cycleway projects the Prime Minister is unveiling,” she says.

“I hope this latest accolade will highlight the project’s success and help Project Twin Streams secure continued funding after the new Auckland Council is formed next year.”

Each day in Waitakere walkers, joggers, dog-walkers and cyclists take to the Project Twin Streams walk and cycleways – a 10km integrated sustainable transport network that provides access to Waitakere’s town centres and suburbs and connects people with their natural environment.

Nearly 10 kilometres have been completed since April 2007 and final part of the project will open in April 2010.

Project Twin Streams is a council-community partnership where local community organisations work with residents and groups to restore their local stream and become more sustainable.

Waitakere City Council receives funding from the Auckland Regional Council to carry out Project Twin Streams.