Revamp of Whanganui’s Fordell Hall completed after nine years of fundraising

The hall is one of seven owned by the Wanganui District Community Halls Trust. Photo / NZME

Fordell Hall in rural Whanganui has reopened following earthquake strengthening and interior work.

The project cost about $273,000 and the hall now has a seismic rating of 67% NBS (new building standard), up from 15% NBS.

The hall, built in 1926, is one of seven owned by the Wanganui District Community Halls Trust which set aside funds from its operating grant into a project fund from 2015 onwards.

Trust treasurer Richard White said Fordell was in “a windy old stretch of the country” and it was important to insulate the hall as well as strengthen it.

The trust contributed $177,000 to the project and donations from the Whanganui Heritage Fund, the Four Regions Charitable Trust and the Fordell Hall Committee got it over the line after a funding shortfall emerged, he said.

“We’re still carrying out regular maintenance on our halls but a couple of wishlist projects have been put on the back burner for now,” he said.

“If you do a little bit at each hall each year, things aren’t so bad.

“We are getting great feedback from people in the community about how they’re looking and that’s really satisfying in itself.”

He said Fordell Hall’s windows still needed to be replaced but the strengthening project took up all available funding.

A further $35,000 was required.

The Fordell Hall is officially handed back, with (from left) Fordell School's Carol Loader and Yvette Moorhouse, Colin Matthews (Rural Halls Trust), Shane Stone Builders staff and Bill Ashworth (Fordell Hall Committee, front centre). Shane Stone and Andy Collins (Halls Trust chairman) are shaking hands,

The trust was formed in 2010 to manage seven rural halls in the district and it has an annual Whanganui District Council grant of $80,000.

The other halls are at Okoia, Pākaraka, Mangamahu, Kai Iwi, Rapanui/Mowhanau and Brunswick.

White said they were “all in really good nick”.

“The council has partnerships with the community and we are one of them. It’s a real success story.”

The work was completed by Shane Stone Builders and engineers from BPL, who had both been great to deal with, he said.

Fordell Hall Committee treasurer Bill Ashworth said the committee had put 20 years of savings into the project but its contribution was minimal compared to the trust’s.

“We are really thankful to have, practically, a brand new hall out of it,” he said.

“The earthquake strengthening was the main part of the project but the interior has been relined and the ceiling was taken out and replaced with Gib.”

He said a reopening party would be put on hold until the windows were replaced - “the completion of the project”.

“At the moment, Fordell School is probably our primary user - for dance lessons, gym over the winter, assemblies and prizegiving at the end of the year,” he said.

“The community can use it too, whether that’s for weddings or 21sts, any kind of celebration.”

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.