Hastings and New Plymouth went up against 22 other cities to win the bid and Hastings will get $4.1m - $3.57m to invest in walking and cycling infrastructure and $518,000 for education.
It is envisaged that the cities will become “how to” models for the rest of New Zealand.
Hastings District Council worked closely with a number of agencies and community groups to make the bid a success.“Staff and our partners worked extremely hard on this visionary project and as a result we’ve been successful,” Mayor Yule says.
Paul McArdle from Bike On NZ (based in Hawkes Bay), who helped build bike tracks at St Mary's School in Hastings, says everybody wins when more people are walking and cycling. "There will be less traffic congestion, people will be healthier and Hawke’s Bay businesses will benefit from more cycling tourism. I have been extremely impressed by the dedication shown by HDC staff in winning this funding and the leadership shown by Mayor Lawrence Yule and Deputy Mayor Cynthia Bowers."
