| 41 T T Sue Russell Thumbs up for Holiday Park upgrade The couple were delighted to receive a Park Improvement Award – Medium size park – at the Holiday Parks NZ Awards. Bay of Islands Holiday Park REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Taking over management of Bay of Islands Holiday Park, near Paihia, has been a real mission of passion and determination on the part of Grace Patterson and Evan Clarke, and the upgrades they’ve pushed forward with since taking over in October 2024 have been duly recognised by the industry this year. The couple were delighted to receive a Park Improvement Award – Medium size park – at the Holiday Parks NZ Awards, held in Hamilton, shining a light on the good work the couple have achieved these past two years. The awards presentations were part of the annual conference, and it provided Grace and Evan with the opportunity to rub shoulders with other aspirational Holiday Park owner/ managers/operators. “It’s always good to see what others are doing, to talk through common issues, and to gain feedback from others in the industry — an industry we really believe in,” Grace says. It’s been quite a transformation, with plenty more plans ahead, something they’re each incredibly proud of, Grace says. “We love this Holiday Park. It holds a strong history in this region, spanning back some 50 years or so and deserved to be given a new lease of life and that’s what our focus has been. It’s certainly kept us busy but it’s also brought in the community which is something we aspired to achieve when we first took over,” says Grace. Grace says they both put 110% into their efforts to revitalise spaces and present a new face to the park. Bay of Islands Holiday Park is privately owned and Grace says they have received nothing but support from the owners to inject new life into the site and facilities. Starting with a massive cleanup, cutting back the overgrown look and feel to the site. “Evan and I also made the good decision to join the Paihia Business Association and last Halloween we invited members to come and see the park, putting on a great event. It was an opportunity for some locals who hadn’t been near the park for years to see what we had achieved.” PROFESSIONORA Strategy before more content. 021 236 7293 www.professionora.com Get clear on what your marketing should be doing next. Marketing Strategy Marketing Audits Consulting & Advisory Analytics & Reporting Workshops & Training DRAKE plumbing & GAS LTD Serving residential and commercial clients across Bay of Islands and Northland with quality workmanship and honest service. NorthlandMaster Plumber of the Year 2026 (with over 100 5-star google reviews) Residential & Commercial Plumbing • Repairs & Maintenance • Hot Water Systems • Gas fitting & Heating • Gas Cooking & Appliances drakeplumbing.nz 022 624 0211 info@drakeplumbing.nz Proceeds from the event went to the Paihia Fire Service, a cause near and dear to many in the town. New signage also lifted the profile of the park to the public. In entering the award Grace and Evan submitted three projects they had undertaken. The first one was the upgrade of the bathroom block, splitting the original facility and making the spaces accessible and far more user-friendly. “Solar Shield also installed a hard pergola over the BBQ area and we upgraded the pizza cover, so community groups and guests could get together and share the space. We also installed a fire-pit down by the river and introduced ‘ roasting marshmallows’, which has really proven popular.” Of the cabin block six of the 11 have been upgraded. So in what could be considered a relatively short space of time, Evan and Grace have poured their hearts and souls into the park, raising its profile and place in the community, offering visitors from school groups, families, to individual visitors an array of choices and experiences. “We’ve just recently had a ‘Staffy Day Out’ dog-show event with an agility course. Again, the proceeds have gone to a most worthy cause — the Bay of Islands Animal Rescue Group. It’s just another opportunity to show we’re proud to live and work here and we want to positively impact our community.” 0800 422 048 sales@engo.co.nz solarshield.co.nz ENGINEERED CANOPY SYSTEMS. MADE EASY. Strong, proven systems. Configured to suit. We supply. Builders install. Public & Community Commercial Residential & Retirement Schools & Education
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