Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Tauranga's waterfront fireworks cancelled

Tauranga's waterfront New Year's Eve fireworks have been cancelled. Photo / NZME

Tauranga City Council has decided to cancel New Year's Eve community celebrations and fireworks displays this year due to the changing Covid-19 environment.

Gareth Wallis, general manager community services, said the council had reluctantly decided not to host this year's events as there was too much uncertainty around whether it could deliver the community-wide events safely. The council is waiting to learn more about the Government's Covid-19 protection framework (traffic light system) and the impact it will have on events over the summer period, he said.

The 2020 free community events were well attended across five sites across the city – Pāpāmoa, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga CBD, Greerton and Matua.

"Unfortunately, with the recent cases of the Delta variant in our community, and uncertainty around how we can safely deliver community events of this size, there is too much risk in continuing to plan these events.

"Given our current environment, this was a decision we and a number of other councils have had to face."

Wallis said the events had grown in popularity over the past five years, but they would be back.

"We love to bring these events and fireworks to our community, and work alongside an incredible group of partners and suppliers to deliver them. We look forward to delivering these celebrations for our community in 2022."