More than 400 residents in Governors Bay near Christchurch wouldn't take 'no' for an answer when the city council refused to rebuild its jetty, built in the 1870s, following the 2011 earthquakes.
Twelve years on, however, the final preparations are being made for the grand opening of the new rebuild tomorrow.
It's all thanks to the community, who still have $350,000 left to raise.
At first, it was estimated to cost the Christchurch City Council nearly $9 million dollars. So for years the Governors Bay Jetty, near the head of Whakaraupō, Lyttelton Harbour, sat untouched.
Local kids back in 2017 voiced their concerns via YouTube.
"The jetty is a big part of Governors Bay history, and I think it's a shame that we are missing out on that because it's closed," said one student.
"It's a bit of a pain because you can't go down and fish on it," another student said.
In 2015, the city council made it very clear it wouldn't fund the rebuild, and straight away, the Governors Bay Jetty Restoration Trust was set up.
It was only four years later that the trust decided to buy the jetty for just $1 dollar. To date, it's managed to sell more than $50,000 worth of old timber, helping to contribute to the restoration project.
The trust used to meet once every two weeks at the local pub, helping raise millions over the years.
"From the begging letters through to events, the classic one of all was the art auction where a big gust of wind came and blew the marquee outside the local pub up on top of the hotel roof," original trustee Simon Mortlock and his wife Belinda told Breakfast.
Seven-year-old Ida Black also dipped into her own pocket money.
"Everybody did very well in the community, but they just didn't have quite a lot of money, but then when I gave my donation, I think they had enough money to actually build the jetty," she said.
"I've never actually been able to walk on half the jetty. I've just been able to go close to the gate," Ida said.
Using locally sourced materials for construction, the cost of the rebuild totalled $3.7 million, less than half the original estimate.
In the end, the city council came to the party, covering half the cost.
"We were lucky also to have here the structural engineers and people whose skills were here in the bay," Belinda said.
"Everyone has just rallied together, and the jetty is really the symbol of Governors Bay. I mean, it's on the school logo, it's in pictures everywhere," 15-year-old Braden Foster said.
"I think it's just been part of my upbringing."
"When you bring a community together, it's quite amazing. People passing each other on the street wouldn't know each other. Now, we've got everyone in the bay knows everyone," Simon said.
A private blessing and karakia will take place tonight ahead of tomorrow's big celebration.
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