THE Stratford Scout and Guide Den in King Edward Park has had a makeover thanks to the generosity of the TET, and the TSB Community Trust. The den now has a new roof and insulated ceiling, and the interior of the large hall has been re-painted. The hall's walls have alsobeen lined, and new curtains and heating installed in the hall and committee room. A new storage cupboard has been built, and some repair work done around the hall; including the sealing and painting of the main hall's outside concrete blocks, the installation of new lighting in the main hall, the re-installation of old light fittings in the lower hall, and a fresh sanding and sealing of the floor. A grant of $85,669 from the TET enabled the Den Committee to refurbish the tired hall, with an additional top-up of $6000 from the TSB Community Trust - some of this money was used to cover the cost of painting over walls that had been tagged and painting anti-graffiti paint on the hall's exterior. The Den Committee is extremely grateful for both grants, enabling this vital restoration work to go ahead. The contractors who undertook the work also deserve a big thank you - Phil Swan undertook building work, with painting by Neil Walton, electrical work by Phil Boyes, carpeting by Eagars, curtains by RH White, heat pumps provided by Heating Gurus, installation by Corrigan Electrical and guards made by Stratford Engineering. The noticeboards came from Standard Timber. The den is used by a number of groups based in Stratford - Cubs and Keas are there on Mondays from 4-8pm, Rangers and Brownies on Tuesdays 4-8pm, the Table Tennis Club on Wednesdays from 7.30pm and the Pipe Band on Thursdays from 8pm. It is also available for hire to other groups.
