’Tis the season to be jolly, but before you step out to socialise this New Year, make sure you familiarise yourself with the alcohol-free areas that are in place across the city.

Tauranga City Council is working with the New Zealand Police to reduce alcohol harm in the community and ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday season.

Deputy Mayor and Mount Maunganui Ward Councillor Jen Scoular says Tauranga is a much-loved summer holiday destination, with the Mount always a popular spot for New Year’s Eve celebrations.

“With an influx of visitors expected over the summer break, I’d encourage our residents to remind guests, family and friends that alcohol-free areas are in place across the city.

“We’re doing all we can to ensure that visitors, and our community can experience our beautiful beaches and open spaces safely this holiday season.

“Having permanent and temporary alcohol-free areas in place in the city helps create a more family friendly environment, while supporting the Police to do their work.”

Senior Sergeant Shannon Clifford, Operations Manager for the Western Bay of Plenty Summer Policing Operations Group, supports Jen’s message.

“We’ll be out and about in the lead up to, and on New Year’s Eve itself, enforcing the alcohol-free areas and ensuring our community is looked after. We’re increasing our people power in the area and you’ll also see more check points in the city over the New Year period.”

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Clifford is reminding people that consuming alcohol, bringing alcohol into, or possessing alcohol in an alcohol-free area is an offence. This includes in a vehicle in a public place specified in the bylaw.

“It’s just not worth the risk. If you are caught drinking alcohol in an alcohol-free area, we will take it off you and we can issue fines on the spot.”

“We are working with Council again this year to fence off Hopukiore (Mount Drury) Reserve from December 30, and the main playground from December 31. They will both be open for use again on New Year’s Day,” says Clifford.

There is no public fireworks display at Mount Main Beach on New Year’s Eve.

Maps of permanent and temporary alcohol areas in the city can be found on our website.

Additional information:

• Free fireworks displays will be taking place at several Council run community celebrations on New Year’s Eve. The first display will be at the family-friendly time of 9.30pm at community events at the City Centre Waterfront, Blake Park, Gordon Spratt Reserve, and Fergusson Park. Midnight fireworks will then be launched from several locations across the city – residents and visitors are invited to watch them from their deck or backyard, ideally from a slightly elevated point. Fireworks can be scary for animals, so keep your pets safe inside this New Year’s Eve. Keeping your blinds closed and the TV or radio on can help reduce the noise.
• If your kerbside bins are usually collected on a Wednesday, Thursday or a Friday, your collection day will be one day later than usual for two weeks over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays – from Wednesday, 25 December (Christmas Day) to Friday, 3 January. This is to give our kerbside collections team a well-deserved break on Christmas and New Year’s Days.

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