Mount-ing excitement for New Year

Preparations for New Year's Eve celebrations came with a price tag of $200,000 this year _ but the expense should wipe-out the headache of post-party clean ups and controlling the masses.
Mount Maunganui has long been a popular hang-out for New Year revellers, with partying crowds swarming for the oceanside countdown at Main Beach.
Having learned from the experience of "when celebrations turn to riots" five years ago, Tauranga City Council has taken a proactive approach again this year by providing entertainment _ and more than 120 workers and volunteers.
Mayor Stuart Crosby, also the chairman for the Summer Activity Taskforce, said liquor bans, traffic flow management, entertainment and people management were the vital ingredients.
"Certainly, we've learned from experience that you need to put proactive measures in place," he said.
There will be 50 volunteers from local churches manning areas around Mount Maunganui tonight. They will provide a friendly environment and be supported by a strong police presence.
Tauranga city events manager Peter Melgren said by 8am tomorrow, passersby won't even know there had been an event held at Mount Maunganui.
Of the 120 people working throughout the evening and in the wee hours of the morning, some will clear rubbish on the streets and beaches, while others will pack away entertainment stages as well as technical equipment and carnival features.
"You really wouldn't know anything had happened there _ it's a massive operation. Every year you can improve and work smarter, it's about not being complacent."
He said this year major initiatives had focused on vehicle-free zones, which now extend to Salisbury and Banks Aves from 4pm today to 6am tomorrow. Marine Parade is a vehicle-free zone overnight until January 5.
Tauranga City Council's New Year initiative has seen the launch of a text messaging service for people wanting to find out about events, liquor bans, bus timetables, vehicle and glass-free zones, and even calling for help if stuck in a tight spot.
Communications adviser Frank Begley said 300 people had registered for the text service a week ago before the advertising campaign began _ and he understood there had been a good response over the past week.
The text service is part of the annual Mayoral Taskforce-led Live it, Survive it campaign aimed at promoting safe celebrations.
Youth ambassadors, who featured in the Bay of Plenty Times this week, have helped promote the text messaging and passport initiatives _ both linked to prizes and giveaways.
On New Year's Eve, entertainment will be provided on two stages at the Mount main beach, including local entertainment and New Zealand's `Largest Karaoke Party' along with a fireworks display at midnight.
A bus service will run to and from the Mount to provide safe travel for party-goers on the night for a set fare of $5 each way.
Strict liquor-free zones are set to operate as in previous years, and glass-free zones blanket Mount Maunganui's main beach and surrounding areas.
Bus services will operate six routes throughout the night for a $10 return fare _ leaving from Papamoa, Pyes Pa, Greerton, Gate Pa, Welcome Bay, Maungatapu, Windermere, Ohauiti, Bethlehem, Brookfield, Cherrywood, Matua, Bellevue and Waihi Road. Shuttles are also available from Mount Maunganui to Tauranga city.