Officials throw hall a lifeline

SAVED: The Belvedere Hall has been saved from demolition. PHOTO/FILE

A Carterton community hall has been granted a reprieve from demolition after passing a recent building inspection.

Due to declining usage and limited funds, the future of the Belvedere Hall had been up in the air since May, when residents met to discuss whether they wanted to go ahead with a substantial upgrade or hand over management of the building to the council.

Following the meeting, the hall committee entered into discussions with the council, and considered options including demolition or using the hall as a venue for the newly-formed branch of the Carterton's Menz Shed.

Committee member Tina Day said the decision to keep the hall running as it was, and not as the site of the Menz Shed, was made at the annual general meeting held on November 29.

"It's nice to see it keep going. It needs a fair bit done but there's good people on the committee who are quite committed to going forward.

"It would be really nice for the community to use it and come to the get-together."

The building had passed a recent inspection, subject to a few minor repairs, with further repairs able to be put off until a later date, Mrs Day said.

"We thought it [substantial repairs] would be needed to be done really quickly, in the next year or two, but now we've got a much longer time frame."

The necessary minor repairs to a support beam, window and a door had already been made.

The structure of the hall meant it was not a suitable site for the machinery that would be required by the Menz Shed, Mrs Day said.

The committee members were a dedicated group of people, she said, but she hoped more people would come forward to help support and make use of the hall.

In the meantime, the group would be "just going on as we were before", she said.

"We'll just see how it goes maybe if people are committed to getting grants... so we'll just see how it goes. But once it's gone, it's gone."

The hall will be the venue for community's annual BYO potluck Christmas party on December 17.

Those interested should bring food to contribute to the meal. Juice, tea and coffee, and children's activities will be provided.

The dinner starts at 6pm and costs $5 per family and an optional gold coin for the raffle.

Anyone interested in using the hall can contact Mrs Day on 06 379 6938 or email n.m.day@hotmail.com.