The race is on to raise enough money to fix Kaikōura's old drill hall.
Kaikōura's drill hall (which is also known as the Scout Hall) was built in 1901. Photo: RNZ/Logan Church.
The Kaikōura District Council was planning to shut the 117-year-old hall, which is in desperate need of a new roof, redecorating, and other repairs.
An eleventh hour effort by concerned community groups saved it, at least in the short term - the council's Three Year Plan would keep it open while its long term future is worked through.
But the community has to find most of the estimated $225,000 repair bill, with the council only contributing $20,000.
For the local community kitchen organiser, Jill Hann, the news the old drill hall would be saved was music to her ears.
The hall's closure would have meant the end of groups such as the community kitchen, which saw no other viable space in the town.
"It might not be plush, but it is just so comfortable ... we can't throw that building away, we have got to be able to use it - to utilize it," Ms Hann said.
But she said it was going to take a lot of work to reach that amount.
"To me it seems like a lot of money," she said.
"We will see how we go, we might be able to apply for funding from different areas."
Kaikōura Mayor Winston Gray said the council reconsidered the closure due to the overwhelming support it received from the community.
Mr Gray said the next step was getting an accurate idea of how much repair work would cost - and seeing whether enough money could be raised.
"The plan is to bring it up to health and safety standards," he said.
"We've got to find a way of spending the money to bring it up to standard so the locals can use it because everywhere you go in there, it is pretty poor."
Mr Gray said he hoped to meet with all parties involved in the coming month or so.
A Give-a-Little page for the drill hall upgrade work has been set up to help reach the $205,000 target.
