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Nearly 4,000 attend East Taupō Arterial open day

Monday 27 September 2010, 7:19PM

By Taupo District Council

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Walkers runners and cyclists enjoy the ETA public open day
Walkers runners and cyclists enjoy the ETA public open day Credit: Taupo District Council

TAUPO

The event was held for the local community to get a sneak preview of the East Taupō Arterial (ETA), a road which has been in the pipeline for nearly 40 years, before it opens to traffic later in October.

Around 1,000 cyclists, 2,300 runners and walkers and 500 dogs and owners came along to enjoy the atmosphere and to have a look at the ETA and the iconic Waikato River Bridge.

Council’s ETA Project Manager Ron Boyle said people were just flooding through the gates all day. “What a fabulous turnout from our community and a great result with an estimated $5,000 raised for local charities and community groups. Thank you to everyone for their generosity and for getting involved.”

Group Manager – Infrastructure and Parks, Ted Anderson said “We have been really pleased with the response from the community and their reaction to the highway. The opening of the ETA is a significant milestone for the Taupō district so it is good that so many came along yesterday and can now say ‘we walked on this road before it opened’.”

A special thank you from Taupō District Council to Fulton Hogan for opening up a section of the ETA to the public and to those that contributed to the event and helped out on the day including Keith Crate, Opus International, Mediaworks, Kiwanis, Taupo Rotary Club, Lakeland Lions, BikeFest, Taupo Moana Rotary Club, Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, St John, Lake Taupō Hospice, SPCA, Taupō Camera Club, Kodak Smileez, Senjo Security, Russell Hawkes Transport, AVP Audio Visual and McDonalds Family Restaurant.

Organisers would like to thank those who provided prizes for the day including Indigenous by Nature, Treetops Lodge and Estate, Taupo Cliffhanger, Hukafalls Jet, Tongariro River Rafting, Milano’s Restaurant, MoreFM, Lake Taupo Hospice, Taupo Events Centre Climbing Wall and AC Baths.