Good news, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has deemed the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy as essential services.
Take part in the big New Zealand Easter egg hunt and make this Easter extra special. All you need to do is colour in the
egg provided, or design your own, and stick it in a window that faces the street so that everyone can have the change to
hunt for eggs this weekend.
Email your finished eggs to primeminister@parliament.govt.nz, or share them on social media using the hashtag #NZEggHunt. Click here for more information.
Meanwhile, around the country and in our district, police will be ramping up visibility in communities and on the roads
including operating checkpoints over the Easter period, making sure people are safe and complying with the COVID-19
Alert Level 4 restrictions.
"We know many New Zealanders may have been planning to catch up with friends and family this weekend, or travel to
traditional holiday destinations but we urge anyone who was planning to do this – please change your plans and stay
home," says Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. "Travelling to the bach for a holiday is not essential travel and it is
not permitted."
"If people are here on the Coromandel now, they’re here to stay, but remember, this is not our usual Easter holiday,"
says our Mayor Sandra Goudie. "We’re all in this together so please be kind, get involved in the big New Zealand Easter
egg hunt, refrain from finger pointing and leave it to police to deal with breaches."
If you suspect a breach of the guidelines, you can report them online here. (Don't ring 111 as that is for emergencies only).Supermarkets - Stay calm, be prepared and get support
New Zealand supermarkets will close on Good Friday but can open on Easter Sunday. Check with your local store as the
hours may differ across the district.
Please continue to follow the guidance under the Alert Level 4:Keep trips to a minimum. Do not go in to buy only one or two non-essential items, like a chocolate bar or soft drink.Be kind to essential workers and other people in the supermarket.Do not shop if you are sick. You must self-isolate at home and ask someone else to pick up essential supplies.Wash your hands before and after you shopBring clean reusable shopping bagsSend only one person from your household. You may need to take young children with you if there is no carer available,
or you can contact the services listed below to have a local shopper go for you.Come prepared with a list so you can get in and out as quickly as possibleShops will be doing their best to limit the number of shoppers – helping you keep 2-metres away from othersOnly touch what you intend to buyIf you can, use a contactless payment method – like payWave, PayPass or Apple Pay
For some people, online delivery is the only way they will be able to access essential food and groceries. If you or
someone else in your household are physically able to go to the supermarket to get food (and are under 70 years old, not
a single parent household and do not have any chronic illnesses), please do this in person, so that the online
deliveries can be reserved for those who rely on it as their only way to get food.
We can help: If you are struggling to get food, groceries, medication or other household goods and services in our District, please
call 0800 800 405 between 7am-7pm.
Our local services are also able to offer with support such as shoppers, food parcels, hospital travel assistance and
more:Coromandel Independent Living TrustWhangamata Community Services TrustThames Community CentreWhitianga Social Services
It is okay also for friends, family, whānau or delivery drivers to drop off food and essential supplies. However, they
should leave these at the door and not come inside.Countdown Priority Scheme for Disabled People:
Disabled Persons Assembly (DPA) NZ are a pan-disability organisation and are happy for people with any type of
disability to use their code when using Countdown's online shopping platform. If a disabled person would like to use
DPA’s code, click here to register free as a DPA member.Business Support - Webinars this week
Te Waka have partnered with various organisations to provide a webinar series to support our local businesses:Creating business continuity online panel presentation: 11am, Thursday 9 April
Click here to register and more information.Update on Council services
Dogs - Remember, this long weekend from Friday 10 April - Tuesday 14 April between 9am-6pm, dogs are prohibited on the main beach.
Treat your pets as part of your bubble:Have your dog on lead at all timesMaintain a 2-metre distance from othersKeep your walks to your local neighbourhoodPick up your dog’s poo, please carry bags with youMake sure your property has somewhere to keep your dog safe, secure and under control (and in the shade) where they will
not be a nuisance to neighboursEnsure your dog is registered and wears a registration tag at all times
Thames Coastal Path - To maintain safe two-metre "social distance" on the narrow stretch of the popular Thames Coastal Path along the seawall
at Moanataiari, we're asking cyclists to use the adjoining Fergusson Drive instead please. We're also asking that
walkers and mobility scooter users use the Coastal Path going north and keep to the Fergusson Drive footpath going
south. This is for everybody's safety to keep all our "bubbles" intact.
Annual Plan - The consultation runs until 14 April, and after that we will be considering all requests, feedback and submissions before making any decisions about projects,
spending and rates. Please read the consultation document on this page - tcdc.govt.nz/annualplan2020 - and send us a submission with your thoughts on what projects and services should take priority as we set the budgets
for the 2020/21 financial year.
Having trouble making a submission? Feeling digitally challenged? Give us a call on 07 868 0200 and we'll talk you
through it.
Kerbside rubbish and recycling: All rubbish and recycling must be bagged and placed in your recycling wheelie bin and will be collected FORTNIGHTLY. The fortnightly collection will occur on your normal recycling day in your normal recycling week. Click here for further details.
Kerbside collections tomorrow Thursday, 9 April:Thames South Rural
View the full schedule here.
There will be no Kerbside collections on Easter Monday (13 April), so collections across the district will be one day
later that week.
Special Council meeting - To be held on Tuesday 21 April, from 9.00am. Due to COVID-19 this meeting will be held by audio link. A recording or a
written record of the meeting will be published on our website following the meeting.
Water Services - Please call us to report any leaks on council property, no matter how small, so that they can be assessed and repaired
quickly. We also ask you keep water usage to a minimum while maintaining the appropriate health standards. Conservation
measures are still in place in some areas and being assessed daily. Until there is substantial rainfall, they are
expected to remain in place – tcdc.govt.nz/water.
Fire Season - A reminder that our district is still in a Prohibited Fire Season (Total Fire Ban). checkitsalright.nz.
For updates on all other council services such as playgrounds, parks and reserves, boat ramps, freedom camping, roading,
public toilets, consents, applications, rates and more see tcdc.govt.nz/COVID-19.Get help, stay informed or contact us:Free phone 0800 800 405 for Waikato people struggling to get food, groceries, medication or other household goods and services available
between 7am and 7pm daily.Being in lockdown makes us experience all sorts of things: anxiety, loneliness, fear. Need to talk? Free phone or text
1737.Check our website COVID-19 page for local information, daily updates and advice on how people can stay connected.Tune into the radio - We’re advertising with local radio stations any important updates and our Mayor Sandra has an interview with CFM on
Mondays, Tuesdays with Gold FM and Thursdays with Coromandel More FM.Newspapers - Keep an eye out in the local newspapers that are still running as we are advertising Council information in some of
those including the Waikato Times. The Mercury Bay Informer is still printing and will be in letterboxes and
distribution points. All other local papers are all online for now. Tear out the Kerbside changes and stick it on your
fridge.Call us: 07 868 0200Email: customer.services@tcdc.govt.nzWebsite: tcdc.govt.nzFollow our Facebook pageSign up for Email newslettersMake Online paymentsCommunity Based Assessment Centres (CBAC)
“We are very pleased to have the first CBAC up and running on the East Coast," says our Civil Defence Controller, Garry
Towler. "I encourage all residents on the South Eastern Ward (Whangamata, Onemana, Opoutere, Hikuai, Tairua, Pauanui and
surrounds) who are concerned or anxious that they may have COVID-19, to go along and have a chat, then they can take you
in for further assessment."Whangamata - Memorial Hall, 326 Port RoadOpen 9am-3pm dailyAn essential servicePlease follow the signage and direction of traffic management staffThis is a drive-thru assessment centre. Do not get out of your carIf you do not have vehicle, please still enter at the main entry point as sign posted ‘entry’, (don’t cut through the
site) and wait for direction while maintaining social distancing (2-metres) from staff and other vehiclesPlease be patient
All GPs can offer COVID-19 assessments too as well as the following primary care organisations who are offering extended
hours:
Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki Thames:
8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Sunday
210 Richmond Rd
Thames
Ph: 07 868 0033
Ph: 0508 835 676