Thames Coromandel Council extends partnership with Beach Hop
Council extends partnership with Beach Hop
Whangamata Community Board has injected an additional $10,000 into this month's Beach Hop, effectively taking over all the infrastructure costs associated with the event.
Beach Hop is one of the largest events in New Zealand with a complex logistical mix of people and vehicles.
Every year the Community Board pays between $6,000 and $8,000 to Council contractors Smart Environmental Limited to maintain rubbish, toilets, roadways and the parks for the 100,000 visitors who attend the event at Whangamata, Tairua and Onemana. Council will now also pick up the costs for barriers and portaloos for these venues.
Beach Hop spokesman Noddy Watts says "we're really excited about the support we're getting from the Council and it's a recognition of all the hard work we've done over the lat 13 years."
"One of our biggest expenses is the infrastructure cost and to have Council support to assist with those substantial costs is a huge plus for us," he says.
The Community Board is very supportive of the event organisers' request and is confident the community will support the initiative, as it allows the Beach Hop organisers to invest in added value activities associated with the event, rather than infrastructure.
It is a two way street though. Beach Hop has supported the Whangamata Area Office in designing an economic impact survey for the event. This survey will be linked to the Beach Hop website. Participants and visitors will be invited to complete the survey online. The survey will open a week before the event and close mid-April.
Beach Hop dates
This year's Beach Hop
kicks off on Wednesday 26 March and runs until Sunday 30
March - but people begin arriving for related activities
from Friday 21 March.
Ultimate passes to the event sold out in 36 hours last October and special guests include Bill Haley Jnr (son of Rock'n'Roll legend Bill Haley) at the Repco Tairua Beach Party, V8 Supercar legend Greg Murphy with his classic Mopar (leading the Castrol Edge Thundercruise to Onemana Beach on Friday 28 March), and actor Shane Cortese (Outrageous Fortune, Nothing Trivial and Shortland Street).
The grand parade is on Saturday 29 March. There are also markets, drive-in movies, bands, classic car shows, retro beauty shows, a retro caravan show, a swap meet, Burlesque and Rock'n'Roll.
For full details, event schedule and guest information, go to the event website www.beachhop.co.nz
ENDS