Fun day connects groups with suburb

Organisers of the Neighbours Aotearoa Family Fun Day in Papamoa next month are hoping community groups and not for profit organisations will support the event. Photo / George Novak.

Community groups and not-for-profit organisations are being encouraged to showcase their activities at Papamoa next month to celebrate Tauranga's fastest-growing suburb.

Neighbours Aotearoa Family Fun Day co-organiser Pita Keune said it was a great opportunity for people to connect and find out what was on offer in the community.

"Papamoa is such a rapid growing place and there are so many new families moving here from out of town and retiring. It will be great for them to get a little bit of an idea about what they could join or send their kids to."

The inspiration behind the concept came from a Neighbourly Day she attended at Ngongotaha in Rotorua on Waitangi Day.

"I went along because I used to live there and it was so amazing. No one has done anything in Papamoa and with the population explosion we have had here ... we thought let's give it a bash."

Ms Keune has lived in Papamoa for 13 years and said there were still groups and organisations she did not know about.

Papamoa Playcentre parent Marama Mateparae said they had received an invitation to attend and were looking forward to it.

"Personally I think it's a fantastic idea. The Mount has a really strong identity but I think Papamoa rocks."

The playcentre had 65 families and more than 100 children on its roll and most of them had not grown up in the area but shifted there, she said.

Mt Maunganui/Papamoa ward councillor Steve Morris said it was great to see people showing initiative.

"People are able to connect through social media on a scale way we haven't been able to for the last 20 years. You have the Papamoa Facebook, Linked In and you also have got people doing this neighbourhood level community stuff."

"I guess that really breaks down the timber fences between each other and that is just brilliant."

Mr Morris would be taking his children along, he said.

Papamoa mother-of-four Marama Tawhiao said it sounded like something to take her family to.

"My kids would love it."

Fay Mercer was also supportive of the family fun day.

The 70-year-old moved to Papamoa with her husband nine months ago after living at the Mount for 40 years and said it would appeal to people who wanted to join groups.