2019 will come early and safely

Have fun and stay safe this Christmas and New Year season by attending council-organised events. Photo: Wayne Tait Photography.

Tauranga City Council is adding a Matua and Otumoetai New Year's Eve event to its community celebrations, as part of the plan to take the festivities to local areas so that neighbours, families and friends can enjoy it together.

The priority will once again be for New Year's Eve to be a safe, enjoyable, family-friendly occasion in the city.

That's the aim of key organisations, including police, as they look to work together towards a safer environment for residents and visitors. Once again, there will be no organised event at Mount Maunganui main beach again this year.

Early evening community events will take place in the CBD, Papamoa, Matua and Otumoetai, featuring family-friendly entertainment, music, food and a 9.30pm firework display. The traditional midnight fireworks will be launched from various locations and can be seen across large parts the city.

Council will continue to support one of the busiest nights in the city with coordinated, advanced planning and an enhanced emergency services response on the night itself.

Safety measures such as traffic management, security, temporary fencing and lighting will be put in place in the Mount Maunganui area.

'Last year's family-friendly approach has proven that we're on the right track,” says Mayor Greg Brownless. He's also confident that a citywide and safety-focused take on the celebrations is the way forward.

'This year, we're adding a community celebration for our Matua and Otumoetai communities,” says Greg. 'We're bringing New Year's Eve to our local areas so neighbours, families and friends can enjoy what's on offer and celebrate together.”

How New Year's Eve will look in the future is yet to be determined. All strategic decisions will be based on building a safe environment for the city's visitors and residents on what is traditionally a very busy night.

This will be assessed and determined over time, however the approach was successfully implemented in 2016 and 2017, and will be carried on this year.

Detailed information on community events, safety measures and more are available at: www.tauranga.govt.nz/NYE

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