Emergency services at Tauranga Airport after a light plane crashed into Tauranga Harbour on November 29, 2022. Photo / Mead Norton
Emergency services at Tauranga Airport after a light plane crashed into Tauranga Harbour on November 29, 2022. Photo / Mead Norton
Bay of Plenty Times is looking back at the stories of 2022. Here’s what made headlines in November:
November 4:
In 90 years in Tauranga, Merewhiua Bennett has witnessed many big changes.
On November 3, she stood alongside Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to see one more, as CBD land destinedfor a $304m civic precinct development was returned to mana whenua in a joint ownership arrangement.
In what was described as a day of “great importance”, representatives of Tauranga City Council and the Otamataha Trust signed the Te Manawataki o Te Papa Charitable Trust deed.
The charitable trust will operate as a council-controlled organisation jointly governed by both parties. The council will sell the trust the block bordered by Wharf, Willow, Harington and Durham Sts - referred to as “Site A” of the civic precinct - for $1, then lease it back for a perpetual “peppercorn” rent.
For Bennett, of Ngai Tamarawaho and Ngāti Ranginui, attending yesterday’s deed signing was a “big thing”, and she felt it was her duty to represent those who were unable to go.
Commission chairwoman Anne Tolley and Otamataha Trust chairman Puhirake Ihaka after signing the Te Manawataki o Te Papa Trust deed. Photo / Mead Norton
November 5:
At 56 years old, Tim McMahon can’t walk 100m. Louise Roberts is in “chronic pain” and can no longer work fulltime. And Helen has trouble getting dressed, cooking and doing the dishes. These were the stories of three Bay of Plenty people who had been waiting years for hip surgery at Tauranga Hospital. The latest data shows there are 1940 people on the waitlist for elective surgery - compared with just 12 people in October 2017. Megan Wilson reported.
The number of patients waiting for surgery at Tauranga Hospital soared from 12 to almost 2000 in five years.
Data from Te Whatu Ora Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty — formerly the district health board — shows 1940 people waiting for elective surgery, such as hip and knee operations. This number had grown by more than 700 since September.
Of those waiting, 1583 did not have a date scheduled for surgery.
Tim McMahon was told he needed a hip replacement in April 2021 and still has not had surgery. Photo / Mead Norton
November 15:
A Tauranga father who died in a water tragedy at Mt Maunganui gave up his life to save his daughter, using his last ounce of strength to hold her head above the surface and lift her onto rocks.
Reon Wikeepa’s grieving whānau are paying tribute to his courage. They say the strong swimmer and devoted dad didn’t die because he was out of his depth but sacrificed himself for the love of his family.
Wikeepa, 43, was pulled unresponsive from the waves by surf lifesavers on Saturday. Rescuers performed CPR but he could not be revived.
The machine operator had been enjoying the water at Moturiki Island with his 16-year-old daughter, 14-year-old son and several nephews when things went wrong.
Reon Wikeepa of Tauranga died trying to save family members from the surf at Mt Maungnaui 12 November 2022 picture supplied by family. (inset) Reon Wikeepa's 16 year old daughter. picture posted to Facebook 13 November 2022
picture supplied by family
November 23:
“Putting in the work and taking it back to what matters most.”
That’s the motto driving personal trainer Louise Watson whose trying to collect thousands of donations for the Tauranga Community Foodbank before Christmas.
The 32-year-old Tauranga woman, known as Boss Lady online, has so far collected 1500 food items. She put the call out for donations at the start of October. Her goal is to donate more than 5000.
Tauranga personal trainer Louise Watson has collected more than 1000 items for the foodbank so far. Photo / Mead Norton
November 23:
A Te Puke family is distraught after “a tornado” ripped through their farm, killing and scattering animals, destroying horticulture structures and ripping panels off their home.
“I haven’t slept,” Kat French told the Bay of Plenty Times. “We have been crying all morning.”
Kat and her parents, Michael and Robyn French, lost chickens, rabbits, and fruit and vegetable houses after what they believed to be a tornado touched down amid thunderstorms and heavy rain.
Kat said the family was woken about midnight by the noise of “everything crashing around us” as panels were torn off the exterior of their farmhouse.
The family, still in their pyjamas, went outside into the darkness with torches to assess the damage and were left picking up the pieces of “completely destroyed” fruit and vegetable houses and rescuing the animals that had survived the storm.
Robyn and Michael French in front of the tropical house damaged when a tornado swept through their property. Photo/ Stuart Whitaker
November 28:
It was a double “wow” achievement for athletics and triathlon coach Craig Kirkwood, who won the Supreme Winner and Coach of the Year gongs at the 2022 Forsyth Barr Bay of Plenty Sports Awards in Rotorua on Friday.
A stunned Kirkwood has coached three highly successful athletes this year - triathlete Hayden Wilde, 1500-metre middle distance runner Sam Tanner, and aquabike triathlete Jono Gray.
He is now one of just three coaches to win the Supreme Award, with Kirkwood’s name joining Gordon Tietjens and Allan Bunting on the honours board. Kirkwood also won the BayTrust Coach of the Year Award.
