Is Cambridge NZ’s most beautiful town?
Cambridge is a finalist for New Zealand’s most beautiful large town in the 2017 Beautiful Awards.
Cambridge i-SITE manager Roger Gordon said it was a great outcome for the town’s first attempt at the award.
‘‘I think it’s really positive, that on our first opportunity we get announced as a finalist,’’ Gordon said.
Cambridge was competing with two other towns in this category, Feilding and Kerikeri.
The winners would be announced at a gala dinner in Hastings on Friday, October 13.
Destination Cambridge became a member of Keep New Zealand Beautiful earlier this year as one of its incentives for the town.
‘‘We began to think of initiatives that we could do to promote our wonderful town, obviously in the best way possible and this was one of the initiatives that we identified,’’ Gordon said.
Destination Cambridge entered itself into the awards competition a month ago with the help of past board member Josh Easby and photographer Michael Jeans.
Gordon said winning the award would only affirm what the people of Cambridge know.
‘‘I think it would make us all feel proud of our town, and it just really confirms what many of us know,’’ he said. ’’It’s a beautiful town, it’s a great town to live in.’’
That is what prompted Destination Cambridge to enter into the competition.
‘‘We are such a wonderful town with all of our trees and green spaces and our historic buildings,’’ Gordon said. ‘‘ We should be shouting about it and proud of it, so that’s what promoted us to enter.’’
After becoming a finalist, Gordon said people should acknowledge the work of Cambridge com-
‘‘I think it's really positive, that on our first opportunity we get announced as a finalist.’’ Roger Gordon
munity leaders and groups.
‘‘Council and their staff do a lot of work to keep the place looking as nice and clean and beautiful as they do.’’
The Sharing Shed in Te Awamutu was also a finalist for the Community Group Award.
The Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards were held annually. Cambridge was planning to enter next year as well. Keep New Zealand Beautiful was dedicated to keeping communities clean, safe and beautiful.