After 12 long years, the highly anticipated grand opening of the Governors Bay Jetty will take place on Saturday 30 September.

This is a free public event to celebrate the official opening and a community’s relentless mahi to rebuild the much-loved Governors Bay Jetty.

Opening ceremony

Food and drink will be available to buy from 3.30pm and the opening ceremony will start at 4pm coinciding with the arrival of a flotilla from Naval Point. The ceremony will take place at the beginning of the jetty at the bottom of Jetty Road, Governors Bay. The lower section of Jetty Road will be closed to all vehicles from 29 September until 1 October 2023. The jetty will remain closed to the public and fenced off until after the ceremony.

A community with a vision

Having been closed to the public since the 2011 earthquakes, the completion of the community-led rebuild of the 300-metre-long jetty at Governors Bay’s is only weeks away. 

Rather than keeping the jetty closed until the jetty was fully funded, The Governors Bay Jetty Trust put the needs of the community at the forefront and worked hard to have the jetty open in time for summer.

After the official word was received from Christchurch City Council that, due to cost, the jetty was unable to be rebuilt, the community gathered with a vision to save the jetty. The Trust, formed in 2015 and purchased the jetty for $1 from the Council. With the financial support of the Council and ongoing fundraising efforts of the community, a thorough design and procurement process was undertaken by the Trust.

In 2022, the Council committed to funding 50% of the total project cost, which was estimated at that time to be $3.5million. Financial backing by the Council allowed the Trust to sign fixed-price contracts for construction and materials, at a time when prices were increasing every week.

The Trust has raised around $1.5 million of its share of the total project cost, but still needs to raise another $350,000. The Trust will continue to raise funds and is seeking sponsors for the remaining 120 planks - donations of $600 are recognised with the donor’s name or short message affixed to a plank of jetty. The Trust is also seeking business sponsors looking to support this substantial community effort.

For more information, see www.savethejetty.org.

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