TECT All Terrain Park is closed during the lockdown. Photo / NZME
Tauranga and Western Bay residents can visit their local park for exercise, but Mauao's walking tracks and the TECT All Terrain Park are out-of-bounds during the lockdown.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday confirmed the entire country would remain at alert level 4 until at least 11.59pm on Tuesday, August 24.
In a written statement from Tauranga City Council, the council said its workforce remained focused on supplying essential services to the community.
"Understandably, this will cause some disruption to services and the start date of projects, but we thank our community for their understanding as we all work together to stamp out Covid-19," the council statement said.
The council said all playgrounds, picnic tables and public barbecues in the city were closed and people should avoid touching any playground equipment.
Under level 4, people could still exercise but must avoid spaces where they could not practice safe social distancing.
As most of the tracks up and around Mauao were narrow and people were not able to safely maintain social distances, all Mauao tracks would remain closed.
McLaren Falls and some other parks would also be closed to the public.
Under the current alert level, stormwater reserves, parks and reserves would not be weeded or mowed as it was not an essential service, the council said.
Tauranga Art Gallery, Bay Venues Limited (BVL), BayCourt Community and Arts Centre, and all Tauranga City Libraries remained closed.
For now, people were asked to hold on to any loaned library items.
An extensive collection of eBooks, eNewspapers, eMagazines, and other online resources was available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Digital Library.
Essential service works:
• People may see staff and contractors out and about – the work they're doing is essential to keeping the city running so we ask people to please give them a wide berth and maintain a safe two-metre distance.
Projects on hold or delayed:
• Under the current alert level, only essential works are permitted. As a result, the start of some projects are on hold or they may be delayed.
Transportation:
• The council will continue to deal with immediate safety issues like dangerous potholes and debris on the road. CCTV cameras will still be monitored, and streetlights will still function.
Tauranga city's waste collection:
• Waste and recycling collection and disposal are essential services so collections will continue to take place in the safest way possible.
While rubbish and recycling services remain unchanged, our assisted service will recommence from August 23.
Food scraps and glass bin collections suspended
•That is because the bins must be picked up by hand as opposed to being lifted by a truck, which poses a health risk to our drivers and the community.
• Residents are encouraged to hold onto recycling and food scraps until the next collection. If that's not possible, food scraps and glass can go into the red-lid rubbish bin. Glass in the red-lid bin should be the last resort as it will be sent to a landfill.
• If the red bin is too full, put glass into the yellow-lid recycling bin, but it won't be recycled.
Building inspections:
• There will be no building inspections under level 4 and any planned inspections during the lockdown will be rescheduled.
Animal Services:
• Tauranga's animal services team will continue to manage the pound and respond to dangerous and wandering dogs.
Community welfare:
• Emergency welfare and support services are being co-ordinated by Civil Defence Emergency Management, for which the council has an essential role alongside partner agencies and organisations.
Tauranga City's Customer Service Centre:
• The office is closed but you can still make inquiries 24/7 by phoning (07) 577 7000. Also many services able to be done online. Visit the "Do it online" page on the council's website www.tauranga.govt.nz
Western Bay of Plenty District Council chief executive John Holyoake said all the council's core services would continue to operate, including many online or via phone or email.
However, all playgrounds, pools, boat ramps and the TECT All Terrain Park and some public toilets would remain closed until further notice.
Also closed were picnic tables, drinking fountains and public barbecues.
Holyoake said parks and reserves were open in the district so people could exercise and get some fresh air, but safe social distancing rules still applied.
This meant keeping two metres away from others not in your isolation bubble, and also stayed away from playgrounds and off all equipment, he said.
Holyoake thanked everyone for their patience and understanding over the past three days.
"We're committed to maintaining essential services to the District while supporting the health and wellbeing of the community and staff in response to Covid-19.
"I also want to thank our council staff, and contractors, who have been working hard to keep these essential services up and running."
Western Bay's kerbside collections:
• The red rubbish bin and yellow mixed recycling bin will still be collected on your normal collection day Monday (August 23) and Tuesday (August 24).
• Pay-as-you-throw tags must be attached to the red lid rubbish bin for collection.
• However, at this stage, the green food scraps bin and glass recycling crates will not be collected during alert level 4.
• A modified assisted service will be provided from Monday. Council has already contacted those residents scheduled for an assisted service on Monday.
• Wet wipes are a convenient and hygienic option, but please don't flush them down the toilet. Place them in a bag and put them out for rubbish pick-up to the landfill.
Recycling centres remain closed.
Available public toilets:
• Paengaroa Domain; Otamarakau Beach; Waione Ave, Athenree; Seabreeze Park, Pukehina; Wilson Rd Car Park, Waihī Beach; Bowentown Boat Club; Ongare Point Reserve
Seaforth Rd Reserve, Waihī Beach; Kotuku Domain, Plummers Point; McMillan Reserve, Waihī Beach; Pahoia Domain; Tanners Point Reserve; Wairoa River Reserve; Ōmokoroa Domain; Diggelmann Park, Katikati; Te Puna Quarry Park; Katikati Office and Library (Arts Junction external toilet) and Waitui Reserve in Te Puna.
Barkes Corner head office, libraries and services centres:
• All libraries are closed, due dates on any borrowed items will be automatically be extended with no overdue fees. Please do not return any library books currently issued.
• Free WiFi sites will be available outside the buildings in Katikati, Te Puke, Waihī Beach and Ōmokoroa from 8am until 8pm, seven days a week. Appropriate measures will be in place to ensure users are kept safe and adhere to physical distancing restrictions.
Library members have access to thousands of eBooks and eAudiobooks online, as well as newspapers and magazines and a range of online databases for you to explore.
Go online to libraries.western bay.govt.nz
Building inspections:
• All building inspections are currently suspended until further notice. Council will be in touch to rebook cancelled inspections when we move to alert level 3.
Animal services:
• If you're walking around your neighbourhood with your dog, we recommend keeping your dog on a leash at all times - even in normal off-leash areas.
• Animal control officers will still attend public safety complaints, including dog attacks on people, dogs roaming on state highways, or dangerous dogs roaming.
• However, where possible the public should make efforts to identify the owner of a found dog and staff support will be provided where owners cannot be identified.
Western Bay council's call centre:
• The contact centre team is operating at a reduced capacity. Either phone, email or make online enquiries as normal (24-7). Do so via the contact form on the council's website, call 07 571 8008 or 0800 926 732 or email customer.service@westernbay.govt.nz.
The pod, including a large male, circled him and his group for about half an hour.