Bright Futures & Big Upgrades

Author

Storm Grimwood
May 08, 2025

Good Morning Scoopers!

Hope you’re having an epic week so far! Heads up – the forecast is scheduled for rain over the next two days, so if you’re out and about, don’t forget your raincoat. Stay dry out there! 🌧️☔

In today’s scoop, we’re bringing you the latest on Tauranga’s massive Takitimu North Link project, with 96% of the piling now complete. Plus, two local teens who once faced tough odds have turned their lives around, running their own cafe and serving up success.

We’ve got a drop this week, so if you want that cash, keep an eye out and follow us:

📲 Instagram
📲 Facebook

In today’s edition:
✅ Takitimu North Link roadworks nearly done 🚧
✅ At-risk teens brew up success with their own cafe ☕
✅ Cash drop this week – clue below 💰
✅ What’s on in Tauranga 🎡

Let’s get into it 👇

SPONSORED BY YARD BARBERS

For Property Maintenance, lawn care, hedge & tree trimming, gardening, yard tidy ups & landscaping.
yardbarbers.co.nz
Call Storm: 0276284840

Tauranga Roadworks Update

The Takitimu North Link Stage 1 project, a $655 million four-lane expressway between Tauranga and Te Puna, is 96% complete on its piling, with six bridges under construction and 72% of utility work finished. Scheduled for completion in 2028, the project aims to enhance connectivity, with 275 workers currently on site. Over 2.3 million cubic meters of dirt have been moved, and 70,000 out of 900,000 planned plants have been installed. NZTA is proposing a toll to fund maintenance and stage two of the project between Te Puna and Ōmokoroa.

Specializing in Minor Renovations, Decks, Fences & Retaining Walls, Small Jobs & Maintenance
archetypeconstruction
Call Aidan: 027 908 4040

From At-Risk Youth to Cafe Entrepreneurs

Hiraka Hiku (19) and Nataleah Taratoa (18) transformed their lives by launching Ringside Cafe in Tauranga, thanks to support from the Bay of Plenty Youth Development Trust. Once considered at-risk youth, they now serve 30 customers daily and are passionate about coffee. The Trust’s Imagine Believe Achieve programme provided work readiness, mentoring, and holistic development, while donations from Allpress Espresso and the Gardiner Family Trust helped them secure a coffee cart. The duo plans to expand their menu and eventually take the cart to larger events.

Captured by @jmanyphotography

Check out all the events below! ($$ - Costs or Ticketed Events)

Music & Concerts 🎵

NZ Choral Federation Workshop in Tauranga

  • When: Sat 10 May 2025, 1:00pm - 4:00pm

  • Where: St. George’s Anglican Church, 1 Church St, Gate Pa

  • More Info: NZCF

  • Cost: $$

The Bitter Brothers

  • When: Sat 10 May 2025, 7:00pm – 9:30pm

  • Where: The Historic Village, The Jam Factory, 17th Ave West

  • More Info: TheBitterBrothers

  • Cost: $$

SOJØURN “Love In The Way” Album Tour

  • When: Sat 10 May 2025 8pm - 11:55pm

  • Where: 11 Totara Street, Mount Maunganui

  • More Info: Sojourn

  • Cost: $$

No Exit Band

  • When: Saturday 10 May 2025 7:30pm - 10:30pm

  • Where: Jack Dusty's Ale House, 50 Bureta Rd, Tauranga

  • More Info: NoExitBand

  • Cost: Free

BOP Symphonia - Beethoven's Violin

  • When: Sunday 11 May 2025 3:00pm - 5:00pm

  • Where: Holy Trinity Church, 215 Devonport Rd, Tauranga

  • More Info: Symphonia

  • Cost: $$

Comedy & Screenings 🎬

Cinderella (Broadway Version)

  • When: Thu 8 May - 10 May 2025 7:30 PM

  • Where: Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, Addison Theatre, 38 Durham Street

  • More Info: Cinderella

  • Cost: $$

International Standup Comedy Show

  • When: Friday 9 May 2025 8:00pm

  • Where: Luxe Cinema, 4 Golden Sands Dr, Papamoa, Mt Maunganui

  • More Info: Comedy

  • Cost: $$

Summer's Solo Hour Standup Comedy WIP

  • When: Saturday 10 May 2025 6:30pm - 7:30pm

  • Where: Arataki Community Centre, Zambuk Way, Mt Maunganui

  • More Info: Standup

  • Cost: $$

Festivals & Special Events 🎉

Hardwick Hustle (10k Run/Walk)

  • When: Sat 10 May 2025, 8:30am

  • Where: Solara Cafe, 14 Saint John Street

  • More Info: HardwickHustle

  • Cost: Free

    Campus Art Class

  • When: Thu 8 May 2025, 4pm - 5:30pm

  • Where: The Historic Village, Creative Community Campus, 17th Ave West

  • More Info: CampusArtClass

  • Cost: $$

McLaren Falls Trail, Aramex Kiwi Walk & Run Series

  • When: Sat 10 May 2025, 9:00am - 12:00pm

  • Where: McLaren Falls Equestrian Park, 358 McLaren Falls Rd, Omanawa

  • More Info: McLarenFalls

  • Cost: $$

Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport

  • When: Sat 10-11 May 2025 9am - 4pm

  • Where: Mercury Baypark Arena, Tauranga

  • More Info: Healthvision

  • Cost: Free

Jammin’ on the Jam Bus

  • When: Sat 10 May 2025, 9:30am - 11:30am

  • Where: Te Ao Mārama - Mount Maunganui Library, 398 Maunganui Road

  • More Info: Alchemy

  • Cost: $$

Community Open Day: Opal Drive Pump Station

  • When: Sat 10 May 2025, 10am - 1pm

  • Where: Opal Drive Pump Station, 45 Opal Dr, Pāpāmoa

  • More Info: OpalDrive

  • Cost: Free

Haumaru Opening Celebrations: Community Fun Day

  • When: Sat 10 May 2025, 10am - 2pm

  • Where: University of Waikato Haumaru Sport & Rec Centre, 483 Cameron Rd

  • More Info: Haumaru

  • Cost: Free

Pocket Sized Play - Slime Time!

  • When: Sat 10 May 2025, 10:30am - 12:30pm

  • Where: Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga Library, 21 Devonport Rd

  • More Info: Pocketsized

  • Cost: Free

Memory Meadow - Tauranga

  • When: Sat 10 May 2025, 1pm - 4pm

  • Where: Tutarawānanga - Yatton Park, Fraser Street, Parkvale

  • More Info: MemoryMeadow

  • Cost: Free

Decoupage & Gild Workshop

  • When: Saturday 10 May 2025 10am - 12:30pm

  • Where: The Incubator Creative Hub, The Historic Village, 17th Avenue

  • More Info: Decoupage

  • Cost: $$

Mothers Day Circular Blooms

  • When: Sunday 11 May 2025 2pm - 4:45pm

  • Where: The Historic Village, Creative Community Campus, 17th Ave West

  • More Info: CircularBlooms

  • Cost: $$

Markets 🍔

The Floral Hub

  • When: Thursday, 8 May, 8am-9:30am

  • Where: Holy Trinity Church

  • More Info: Floral

  • Cost: Free

Tauranga Night Market

  • When: Friday, 9 May, 5pm-8.30pm

  • Where: Tauranga Race Course

  • More Info: TaurangaNightMarket

  • Cost: Free

The Little Big Markets

  • When: Saturday 11 May 9am - 2pm

  • Where: Tauranga Waterfront

  • More Info: LittleBigMarkets

  • Cost: Free

Tauranga Farmers Market

  • When: Saturday, 10 May, 7:45am-12pm

  • Where: Tauranga Primary

  • More Info: FarmersMarket

  • Cost: Free

Pāpāmoa Community Market

  • When: Sunday, 11 May, 8:30am-1pm

  • Where: Te Manawa ō Pāpāmoa School

  • More Info: Community

  • Cost: Free

Small Batch | Raw Mānuka Honey | Made in New Zealand
tasteandseenz

Thanks Scoopers!

That’s it for now! If we missed anything, flick us a message and if you found something useless, forward it to your mate who’s got 17 unread self-help books on their shelf.

Next drop?
Watch our Instagram and Facebook stories closely… you might catch the next clue.

— Storm
Tauranga Scoop