The Watchman Road Intersection Upgrade Project (The Kuaka Gateway), has scooped the award for Infrastructure Project of the Year at the NZ Airport Association’s annual awards held in Auckland last week. Sponsored by Beca Airports, the awards were presented at a black-tie event held at The Auckland Museum Events Centre on Thursday October 24th before an audience of over 100 representatives from throughout New Zealand’s aviation sector. The infrastructure category was particularly well contested this year with entries reflective of the extensive amount of development happening across the industry. The Kuaka Gateway was acknowledged as being a special project for the way in which it saw three organisations collaborate in an aspirational and holistic approach to problem solve alongside genuine stakeholder engagement. The results saw a traffic blackspot transformed into a safe and admired environmental statement. Hawke’s Bay Airport CEO Stuart Ainslie was on hand to accept the award and was quick to acknowledge funding partners NZ Transport Agency and Napier City Council as well as the various stakeholders who were so instrumental in enabling the project to be the success that it is. Mr Ainslie points out that the many of the cultural elements of the Kuaka Gateway will be carried through into the redevelopment of the airport’s terminal and surrounding forecourt. “We have engaged local artist Jacob Scott to re-design the forecourt in front of the terminal and to inject a cultural overlay into the internal finish. Jacob was heavily involved in the Kuaka Gateway and he will be working to connect this narrative throughout the airport environment”. More significant development milestones are on the horizon at Hawke’s Bay Airport with Stage 2 of the terminal redevelopment set to open to the public in early November and an upgrade to the carpark and supporting technology due for completion prior to Christmas.
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