Te Anau Airport highly commended

The development of Te Anau Airport - Manapouri has received a highly commended award in the recent Best Practice Awards at the New Zealand Community Boards Conference.

The $7 million project won the award in the Significant Projects category, one of the eight categories that rewards excellence in Community Boards nationwide.

Te Anau Airport – Manapouri has been a project championed by the Te Anau Community Board since 2004. It was the foresight and determination of Te Anau Community Board members and Councillors in the area to provide additional air transport for what they believed would serve an increasing number of tourists to the Fiordland region each year.

Among the supporters of the airport was Southland District Council Cr Diane Ridley, of the Te Anau Ward, who was delighted about the project’s most recent recognition.

“It’s a very commendable project that is great for the future of the area,” Cr Ridley said.

She paid tribute to the hard work of all who were involved in developing the project to date and looks forward to the airport’s overall vision being realised in the future.

“This is very much a long term project. It is our hope that the airport will attract not only tourists to the area, but will also provide a regular flight service for local people,” she said.