Far North news in brief: Sports hub opening; tsunami maps, bowel screening and book launch

Te Puāwaitanga-Bay of Islands Sports Hub in Waipapa, which includes five sports fields, will be officially opened in April.

Hub opening

The Te Puāwaitanga-Bay of Islands Sports Hub in Waipapa, which includes five sports fields, will be officially opened in April. The development includes two sand-based turf fields and three soil-based playing fields, ensuring athletes have access to premium playing surfaces that can accommodate various sporting codes. The sports hub, opposite the Waipapa retail area on SH10, will also feature sealed parking for 144 vehicles, eight disabled parking bays, three bus bays, a toilet and changing block with associated water services and connecting footpaths.

Far North crashes

Police attended two crashes within 20km of each other on Friday. One person was transported to hospital in a serious condition and another received minor injuries following a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 10 in Waipapa just after 11.30am. Meanwhile, emergency services also responded to reports of a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of State Highway 1 and Waikaramu Rd, Ohaeawai just before 11.30am. Three people received minor to moderate injuries.

Tsunami maps

Northland’s tsunami evacuation maps have been updated with more accurate modelling and information to better reflect how tsunamis behave as they travel across the ocean and reach the coastline. The maps are simpler to understand and feature a single colour system. The blue zone means getting out of the area and heading to higher ground or further inland. Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group chair Kelly Stratford encouraged residents to view the maps to see if they live, work or play in an evacuation zone. She said anyone living in coastal communities or enjoying the marine and beach areas should remain prepared for the risk of a tsunami. To view the map, head to the Northland Regional Council website.

Easy drop-off

Bowel screening has been made easier for Northlanders with a new option to drop off completed kits at any of the seven Awanui Lab Collection Centres across the region. Eligible participants aged 60 to 74 can return their completed kits to the Awanui Lab receptions at Kaikohe, Kerikeri, Paihia, Te Kamo, Kensington Health, Onerahi and Rust Ave, or by freepost. Bowel screening aims to save lives by helping find bowel cancer at an early stage when it can often be successfully treated. Go to timetobowelscreen.nz or phone 0800-924-432 for more information.

Book launch

A Northland author is launching his latest crime fiction novel in the Far North, just metres way from where his fictional mayhem takes place. Michael Botur will launch the novel Glass Barbie at Phat House Brewery, in Haruru, on March 22. The novel is set in the underbelly of Northland, giving a darkly humorous tale of bounty-hunting, bungled rescues and broken friendships. A crackhead criminal and a strait-laced cop reunite to save a kidnapped former classmate, taking readers from Whangārei to Kaitāia and the Bay – all leading up to an “ink-splattered brawl” at a tattoo festival beside Haruru Falls.