He's been with the project from the start – since it was a pencil sketch on a piece of paper at Tauranga City Council – now he's going to make a splash at the official opening.

Western Bay of Plenty residents are invited to the official opening of the tidal stairs tomorrow, with the first ‘bombing' competition and the Paradox Street Food Festival.

The family-friendly, free event will feature street food, a bombing competition and live music on Saturday, May 6, from 12noon-5pm.

And they can also enjoy the eight new street art pieces on central city walls – already completed as part of the Paradox Tauranga Street Art Festival, running to June 15.

Tauranga City Council city transformation group's project leader Morgan Jones will be in the thick of it – he's busily making a costume as he entering the bombing competition.

'I guess I'm a keyboard warrior in the city centre – the city centre is very serious and this adds an element of fun. To actually jump off the stairs I thought was a wonderful opportunity.

'Because you can see the water just out my office window – and from almost every building in the CBD every day.”

There will be bombs off the pier tomorrow from about 12noon, when participants get the chance to show their talent and win prizes, with Hads Te Huia from Bomblife New Zealand on the judging panel.

Morgan admits he's the most un-typical person you'd see around Tauranga jumping of bridges, pontoons and jetties.

'Hopefully there will be some people down there with some amazing techniques – I most certainly won't jump first, so I can learn a few things from them.”

And this is what the new tidal stairs is all about – getting people to enjoy the beautiful waterscape we have right on the city's edge, jumping in and using it.

'Yes definitely, even in the last week the amount of people down there and jumping in the sand, people sitting on the stairs, I've seen hula hooping and limbo games – from young kids to grandmothers and so on.

'So it seems to have really attracted and connected with a whole lot of people – it's really hit the mark with the community, which is great,” says Morgan, who has been involved from the start.

'To take it from something that was drawing on paper and a high-level concept to having people near and far of a whole range of ages is really cool.”

And when the community reacts so positively to a project is what makes it all worthwhile, says Morgan.

And while Morgan is the only TCC staff member bombing off the tidal stairs, councillor Steve Morris will take the plunge too.

Morgan's had one practice run at bombing off the stairs. And the secret advice from his kids, aged six, three and almost one?

'They gave me a hard time about my splashes not being as big as the other guys. So my three-year-old said to: ‘Put some stones and rocks in your pockets' and the six-year-old said to make sure I have lunch on The Strand beforehand.”

Morgan says the three criteria for the bombing is the height of the splash, the cleanliness of the splash, and the style – from how you leave the platform to everything the waste.

So he's taking it seriously? 'Only a little bit.”

The Paradox Inside exhibition at Tauranga Art Gallery will be open from 10am-4.30pm and guided street art wall walks around town will be on offer.

Parts on The Strand will be closed from 9am-8pm on May 6 to ensure a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere at the event.

The Strand and Wharf St restaurants will be open, and both parking buildings – Elizabeth and Spring St – will be open 24/7 and free on the day.

For further information, see: www.taurangastreetartfestival.nz