Council’s $150,000 grant for supper room

A new community supper room has already run up a six-figure bill before anything has been built.

The Marlborough District Council is proposing a $150,000 grant for the planning phase of the room in Marlborough’s Linkwater Memorial Hall.

The structure was labelled ‘‘past its use by date’’, prompting the council to find funds for a replacement, but the grant wasn’t designated for construction.

Linkwater Settlers and Hall committee treasurer Kathryn Baxter said the hall’s isolated location meant the project was difficult to self fund.

The total cost of a new supper room was estimated to be $378,553, with the remaining money to be sought from fundraising.

‘‘Our community base covers quite a large area but we don’t have a huge population base so any help we get is greatly appreciated,’’ Baxter said.

A spokesman for Marlborough District Council said construction costs were yet to be finalised.

‘‘Council funding will cover the initial planning, consenting, project management and an engineering investigation. Any funding left over from that will go towards the construction costs.

‘‘The main construction costs are expected to be carpentry, roofing, trusses, frames, joinery, floor coverings and painting. The building also requires fire exits and an access ramp built to code,’’ the spokesman said.

Baxter said the room also doubled as a meeting room and a Civil Defence Centre [welfare centre] among other things.

‘‘You get the usual – weddings, funerals, birthdays, anniversaries but we also have indoor bowls, quilters, playcentre, Seniornet, yoga, exercise classes and other sports groups. The [Linkwater] school also use it as their school hall as and when required,’’ she said.

Baxter hoped the upgrade would be completed before the hall’s centennial celebrations in 2024.

‘‘[The supper room has] saggy bearers and nasty bits where the water has got in‘‘ she said.

The hall needed to meet user demand from outside the area, Baxter said.

‘‘We also have quite a few queries from people outside our community wanting to use the facility for functions but to accommodate this. The kitchen itself really needs to be brought up to commercial standards so that they are able to cater on site,’’ Baxter said.

The council’s proposed funding for the supper room would be open for consultation from April 13.

A final decision on the project would be made in June, when the draft long-term plan is adopted by councillors.