The National Sports & Physical Activity Convention (NSC) tonight celebrated the award finalists and presented the Sport, Recreation and Play Innovation Awards at the NSC Oration in Melbourne. Surround by over 350 of their peers, the winners where celebrated and applauded when sharing some of their innovations in how to grow participation and be more sustainable. The awards were made possible through the support from the NSC Innovation and Awards Partner, Fieldturf Australia.
Each Category winner of the 10 categories received recognition from their industry colleagues, a trophy and a complementary pass into next years NSC worth over $1,400. The winners of each category are:
PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
Innovative programs, activities and events that have been developed to encourage the community to be more active.
The 2022 winner is:
- Scenic Rim Regional Council – EmpowHER Hiking Program
SPORT AND INCLUSION
How sport can make a difference to an inclusive society and how inclusion can grow participation in play, recreation and community sport.
The 2022 winner is:
- Coogee Surf Life Saving Club – Project Libertas
SOCIAL VALUE OF PARTICIPATION
Measuring the impact that participation has on the health, economic and community value of a community.
The 2022 winner is:
- Logan City Council – Active Logan Value Statement
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
The communication messages that innovatively activates the community for more people to be active, play, recreate and participate in community sport.
The 2022 winner is:
- Badminton Australia – Branding, Launch and Promotion Strategy
MAJOR EVENT PROMOTION
Providing community opportunities to grow participation by aligning a mass participation or a major spectator event.
The 2022 winner is:
- AusCycling – Brisbane Cycling Festival
TECHNOLOGY
Innovations in technology that support Business to Business (B2B) improvements for the industry or Business to Consumer (B2C) experiences.
The 2022 winner is:
- National Rugby League and imc Learning – A holistic learning management experience for the NRL
SPORT AND LEISURE FACILITY DESIGN
Innovative design and management that creates an environment where more people are active (built and natural environments), whilst embracing the principles of sustainability.
The 2022 winner is:
- NBRS/ Donovan Payne Architects – Bay Pavilion Arts + Aquatic
SPORTS SURFACES
Innovative solutions that allow greater intensity and durability of natural, hybrid, synthetic or hard sports surfaces that allow for greater usage, whilst embracing the principles of sustainability.
The 2022 winner is:
- iDwala – Wahgunyah Recreation Reserve
SPORT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Innovations that organisations have embraced that recognise the impact that sport can have on climate change and how they have focused on reducing their carbon footprint.
The 2022 joint winners are:
- Belgravia Health and Leisure Group – Ascot Vale Leisure Centre’s journey towards carbon neutral
- SPORTENG – Recycled Glass Sand for Natural Turf Fields of Play
PLAYGROUND DESIGN
Designs and developments that allow and encourage more children to play, have fun and be active.
The 2022 winner is:
- Touched By Olivia Foundation – Livvi’s Place Albert Park, Cootamundra
THE OVERALL SPORT, RECREATION AND PLAY INDUSTRY AWARD FOR INNOVATION
This award for the overall prize for the Sport, Recreation and Play Innovation Award, is based on the ten category winners and judged as being the organisation or event that has activated or has the potential to activate significant numbers of people across Australia due to their work.
The 2022 Winner is;
- AusCycling – Brisbane Cycling Festival
The awards were made possible through the support from the NSC Innovations and Awards Partner, FieldTurf Australia.
The Brisbane Cycling Festival rolled back into Brisbane from 24 March – 14 April. The festival hosted major national and international events, along with 141 supporting events, activities, and workshops. Overall, the festival had 43,000+ people take part, created 90+ hours of broadcast, and was delivered by a team which included 1,000+ volunteers.
AusCycling Track National Championships was the opening event hosted at the Anna Meares Velodrome, the event catered for all categories including Junior, Elite & Under 19, Para-cycling and Masters.
The celebration of cycling came together at the Brisbane Showgrounds with a free community event. Inclusions were Active Lifestyle Expo, Spokes n’ Jokes, King St Kick It, Colour Your Ride and Cyclo-cross. The village entertainment also included Nitro World Games and Mountain Bike Trials Stunt Shows, DJ, roving performers, food & beverage, Kids Zone, She Ride’s activity, plus much more.
The finale of the festival was Australia’s ultimate Sunday ride Australian Unity Tour de Brisbane. Held on completely closed roads the riders took part in the UCI Gran Fondo World Series, multiple distance rides, free community ride and run plus a duathlon.
In 2022 the festival had a wonderful addition, the first ever Combined Oceania Cycling Championships for BMX Racing and Freestyle, Mountain Bike Down Hill and Cross Country, Road and Track.