She said it took eight long years.

But one local leader's vision for her community has become a reality with the grand opening of the Archer Community Center on Tuesday.

Calling it the happiest day of her life, Archer Commissioner, Roberta Lopez, helped cut the ribbon on the new center.

Community members and leaders -- armed with fans and umbrellas to deal with the heat -- came out to celebrate the opening of the center. It will be used as a multi-purpose facility.

Several speakers credited Lopez as the driving force behind the center, calling her a bulldog, ball of fire, dynamo and the only person who could squeeze blood out of a turnip.

But Lopez turned it around, saying it was a project that took the entire community.

Over a million dollars was raised through federal, state, and local funds as well as private donations.