I’M SAVING A JETTY!
Writer Louisa is on a mission
Atwist of fate and timing started me on the journey to possibly the greatest achievement of my life.
I was born in Toronto, Canada, and adopted by
British parents. We returned to England when I was seven and at age 14, I lived in Israel for six months when Mum moved to a kibbutz.
I caught the travel bug when I was 19 (along with food poisoning – I will never forget a certain incident in Spain) when touring Europe armed only with a tent, backpack and sense of adventure.
I spent the next decade working and saving until I achieved my dream of backpacking around the world. That’s how I ended up in Christchurch in 1997. But my days as a nomad came to a halt when I met a guy and became pregnant with my first son.
We lived on 4.45 hectares in North Canterbury, where we raised our three boys and I attempted to be a chilli farmer while working full-time as a technical writer, before downsizing and moving to Governors Bay, over the hill from Christchurch.
Not long after moving, around February 2015, we heard there was a meeting at the local pub to announce what was happening to the 300m-long wooden jetty in our bay.
The jetty was first built as a short pier in 1874, then extended as the bay became silted. Originally it was used by steam ships, but over the years, it became a place for people – for walking, kayaking and admiring the dramatic volcanic landscape. It was closed in 2011 due to its dilapidated state.
My husband and I almost didn’t go to the meeting that night, but my mother-in-law offered to babysit, which sealed the deal.
The pub was packed and we were all shocked when council staff said there was no plan to repair the jetty. It was closed indefinitely. There was a glimmer of hope – the council was prepared to listen if the community felt strongly enough to do something about it.
Someone said, ‘Let’s start a committee,’ and I put my hand up because I’m good at filling in forms. A guy sitting nearby said to me, ‘You’re brave!’
The other volunteers introduced themselves. Eight men – a lawyer, two engineers, a surveyor, a CEO, a transport manager, an IT manager, a physician (turns out he was the chief medical officer) and me. I felt a little intimidated.
I don’t know what they thought about the female writer in their midst, especially during conversations about piles and bents. But before long, I proved myself useful with my communication skills, not to mention my quirky sense of humour when writing meeting minutes.
The guys on the board call me the ‘glue’. All of them bring useful skills to the project, but as a communicator, I hold it together.
For three years, we’ve met most Tuesdays at the pub to explore options, work out legalities and figure out funding. We will replace the jetty like-for-like, using Australian hardwood and raise the deck to allow for sea-level rise. The jetty will last for 100 years and won’t need to be saved again for a very long time. All going to plan, construction will start late
2018 or in 2019. I can’t wait for the grand re-opening!
My day job is working for a technical writing company, mostly for the health sector. It’s rewarding because what we do is aimed at improving patients’ experiences by providing accurate, clear and consistent information. I had a proud moment in 2017, when I won the Plain English Technical Communicator award.
After work and at the weekends, I do my jetty work. It’ll get busier this year as we’ve launched our ‘sponsor a plank’ campaign, where people who donate $500 or more will get their name etched on a plaque on our jetty. Like everyone on the board, I’m not paid for my jetty work – my reward will be to see it rebuilt.
People sometimes ask why I’m working so hard to save the jetty. After all, it’s
‘just a jetty’.
But it’s not just a jetty.
It’s a place that holds generations of memories. A place where everyone can be connected to the water and the stunning landscape. A place for kids to enjoy – Governors Bay School, Cholmondeley Children’s Centre and Living Springs camp will all use the jetty when it re-opens.
When I put my hand up at that meeting, I was offering to help save a jetty. Since then, I’ve realised it’s more than that.
I’m bringing people together to save something precious. People have sponsored planks to remember their loved ones or to walk along the jetty knowing they helped save it. It’s not just about the jetty any more – it’s about people’s hopes. There is no turning back.”
LOUISA EADES (50) IS SAVING A JETTY!