A mum-of-three who wanted to see a better playground in the town of Marton has managed to raise $1.3 million to reinvent the circa 1950 aging facility.
With a population of 5,000, the town has had to make do with a playground that had just a couple of swings, a carousel and a digger.
"They weren't really stimulating for the kids,” Lucy Skou said.
So she went to work, mobilising dozens and dozens of helpers, despite the epic costs involved.
Much of the $1.3 million raised came in the form of grants.
"Every community relies on some really, really special people to make these things happen,” Rangetikei Mayor Andy Watson said.
Watson credited Skou with leading the development of the now state-of-the-art playground.
“I get a bit teary-eyed when I see how amazing it looks,” Skou said.
"I'm incredibly proud of the community. Without everyone's support this wouldn't have happened," she said.
"This is for them."
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