It also prompted Ms McInnes to contact ministers urging a law change while chief executive Shaun Clarke — whose staff have to enforce the legislation — is preparing a submission to Local Government New Zealand.
Ms McInnes, whose daughter attends Opua Primary, called on Transport Minister Phil Twyford and Associate Minister Julie Anne Genter to review the impact of the Road Transport Act, which includes the requirement for temporary traffic management plans.
A traffic management plan for the Opua event would have cost more $1000, about a third of the money the school PTA had hoped to raise.
She accepted there would have been good reasons behind the law but doubted the consequences for small communities had been taken into account.
''These types of events are part of the fabric of what keeps our communities strong and connected ... The last thing we need is our local communities not bothering because it all gets too hard.''
Another result would be that Government was seen as ''slowly killing off community spirit'', she said.
Ms McInnes understood some Anzac Day parades, which involved people marching on public roads, were facing similar difficulties.
Wednesday's story also prompted people to contact the school offering to help, including a man who offered to create a traffic plan without charge so the regatta could return next year.
Waitangi Treaty Grounds cultural manager Mori Rapana offered to stump up $1000 for a traffic plan even though his children went to another school.
PTA chairwoman Katja Caulton said the school had been ''completely overwhelmed and super-happy'' with the public response.
