Glenmark plan the rebuild

It has been a year since fire gutted the Omihi Community Hall and plans for a rebuild are beginning to gain momentum.

In the early hours of August 28, 2015, the building, owned by a community trust and is predominantly used by the Glenmark-Cheviot Rugby Club, suffered substantial damage in the blaze and had to be demolished. Treasured memories dating back as far as the 1920s dis- appeared overnight – including priceless memorabilia from the club’s 10 All Blacks – lost to the ravages of heat and smoke.

In 1924 the local residents got together to build the hall, and 92 years later they are preparing to do it all again. Last month the Omihi Community and Sports Hall Committee submitted a request to the Hurunui District Council to lease an area in the Omihi Reserve for the new hall.

The Council resolved to publicly notify the proposal, provided they provide a site plan showing the proposed location and footprint of the building, and concept plans showing the elevations and floor plan of the proposed building.

‘‘We will have a feasibility study completed any day now,’’ Glenmark Rugby Club and Omihi Community Hall committee member Nick Hamilton said.

‘‘Then we have to get building consent before we can apply for funding.

‘‘So we are looking at six months of paperwork and getting funding teed up before we start building.’’

Hamilton said the feasibility study would answer a lot of questions.

‘‘It will let us know how big of a building we should have and what the community will be able to afford to maintain in future.’’

The club has raised ‘‘in the vicinity of $150,000’’ and hope to also receive funding grants.

The Council will ultimately make a decision for approval of a lease.

Glenmark enjoyed a bumper season on the field, winning the North Canterbury title but the cup will remain behind the bar at the Greta Valley Pub – their temporary post-match base this season – for 2017 as a new hall will not be ready until at least 2018.

‘‘They are happy to have us back next season.

‘‘It’s a bit of a hassle for travelling teams to head a further 10 minutes up the road but it worked well,’’ Hamilton said.