Church to become multi-purpose hub
After more than 60 years a church is in the process of being handed back to its community to become a multipurpose hub.
The Alton Church was built in 1953 and has reached a point where it would be enthusiastic to say it was used three times a year.
That’s why the Alton Coronation Hall Society has taken it on as one of its many already successful revamping projects that included their War Memorial move and the ‘‘hall full of history’’.
Secretary treasurer Jacq Dwyer said she and the society of 10 thought the church was precious to the community, which has a population of 100.
‘‘We don’t want to be the generation that lost that church,’’ she said.
Dwyer said she and the chairman of the society-come trustee of the church, Harvey Gibbs, believed you couldn’t just keep a church and use it only as a church in today’s age.
‘‘Harv and I grew up going to church and we want to hold on to that, but we’re realists,’’ Dwyer said. ‘‘We realise that large numbers of people aren’t going to go back to church so we want to incorporate it into their lives some other way.’’
That’s why the society has decided to use the building and expand on the small hub they already have.
‘‘We want the scouts to be able to use it for recitals, we want art on display, we want to host country weddings, we want it to be a building that’s more diverse and more usable,’’ Dwyer said.
The society has begun fundraising to get the church back to a usable condition since discovering the north-west side of the building was severely weather damaged.
It recently held a cabaret that more than 70 people attended and raised $3000. Sadly, this is only a portion of the money they need.
Dwyer said she thought ‘‘now more than ever’’ small towns need a place to call their own.
‘‘We need to keep our own little identities,’’ she said. ‘‘The hall’s in wonderful condition and we want the church to be the same.’’
The hall is currently host to a scout group of about 35, one of two wrestling clubs in Taranaki, and a women’s fitness group.
The society’s next fundraiser for the church will be a Country Jazz Afternoon Tea. Anyone interested contact Kate Murdoch on 0275412955 Michelle Dwyer on 027 4770646.