Newly built Te Puna Memorial Hall opens its doors

The new Te Puna Memorial Hall. Photo / Supplied

The new Te Puna Memorial Hall has opened its door after a four-year wait for the community.

The former hall was built in 1922 in memory of Te Puna war veterans and men who died in active service.

However, in 2016 it had to be demolished to make way for the new Te Puna Rd and State Highway 2 roundabout.

Four years later and the new building has opened its door, featuring a slightly larger footprint, with a larger kitchen, two meeting rooms, a supper room and archive room.

Located close to where the old hall was, the new design will allow for population growth and for use by a range of community groups, from bowling and garden clubs to dance and fitness classes.

The original plaques bearing the names of those from the district who served in the two World Wars are proudly mounted in the entrance foyer.

Te Puna Memorial Hall committee chairman George Butler said the community had greatly missed its hall in the past four years.

"Pressure of use meant that other, smaller, local facilities such as the school hall and the Quarry Gallery were choc-a-bloc with bookings.

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller (centre) with TECT trustees Peter and Dianne Farmer at the new hall. Photo / Supplied

"Many regular meeting groups, ranging from ante-natal classes and church congregations through to dancers and fitness clubs, had to find other places to meet."

He said bookings were already heaving for the new hall and it was a great benefit to the local community.

While NZTA funded the building of the new hall on a like-for-like basis, funds needed to be raised to cover the additional space.

The Te Puna Memorial Hall Society were delighted to receive $200,000 in funding from TECT back in May 2019.

Butler said the funding was crucial to the committee's plans to make the new hall future-proofed for twenty-first-century use.

TECT trustee Peter Farmer said he was proud to see his local hall standing today after many years in the making.

"After several years without a hall, it is fantastic to see it standing today knowing TECT's contribution and the countless volunteer hours that have gone into it, have made it even better than before."