Minister opens Papamoa's tsunami evacuation refuge, three more planned

Meagan Edhouse, Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group. Photo/Andrew Warner

Papamoa's $1 million tsunami evacuation structure has been officially opened and planning is underway to build three other higher ground areas in the coastal community.

Minister for Civil Defence Kris Faafoi opened the terraced mound at Gordon Spratt Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

The vertical structure is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and has space for up to 3800 people.

The opening was tied into an evacuation practice and open day, where residents were encouraged to try out routes to higher ground.

Mount Maunganui/Papamoa ward councillor Leanne Brown said 500 to 600 people took part.

That was fewer than the 1000 organisers had hoped for but was she confident word would spread before the next practice event being planned for 2019.

"There were lots of bikes on the reserve indicating that a lot of people walked or biked, which was good to see.

"Everyone I spoke to went away feeling more confident about evacuations and where to go."

She said council staff were negotiating land for more mounds, to be spaced along the coastal community at roughly 2km intervals.

"Eventually there will be four vertical evacuation structures in place."

Tauranga City Council emergency management manager Paul Baunton said sand had begun being stockpiled on land at the intersection of Golden Sands Drive and The Boulevard in Papamoa East to raise a section of land that will also host a new Catholic school.

Meagan Edhouse helped man the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group tent and said heaps of people came to ask questions or give feedback.

"Mostly it was about some challenges they had with their evacuation walking route and some technical questions about the height of the mound and how it would work."

It was a good opportunity to point people to resources or help them work out alternate routes.

Papamoa resident Linley Crofskey was quite impressed with the terraced mound, which she thought could be used for concerts, but said the walk had been a bit of a hike.