Dunrobin Hall to be demolished
A WEST Otago hall will have one last hurrah before it closes its doors for good.
The Dunrobin Hall committee and members of the public voted unanimously to demolish the remote rural hamlet’s 65yearold community hall, during a meeting to decide its fate on Tuesday night.
Acting president Peter Adam said he was pleased to confirm the decision following lengthy soulsearching by the committee during earlier meetings.
‘‘We had about 18 people there, which is pretty good for Dunrobin, and everyone was with us.
‘‘I’d hope to see it gone and a replacement of some sort in place by this time next year.’’
He said the hall, which had been used during the years for numerous celebrations including community dances, New Year celebrations and birthdays, would be seen off in suitably cheerful style.
‘‘We’ll have at least one final do before it goes. Something to raise the roof.’’
Although the community would be sad to see the hall go, current use did not merit spending potentially more than $30,000 on roofing and other repairs, he said.
Instead, ‘‘healthy’’ hall reserves would be used to build a replacement structure of a more basic nature, requiring less maintenance.
Following further discussion on Tuesday, it remained likely that would be a twobay shed with toilets, he said.
Mr Adam confirmed war honour rolls and other memorabilia would be rehoused before demolition, some of it to the Heriot Community Centre.