Battle to keep Huntly Memorial Hall heats up
Tony Perkins won’t let the Huntly Memorial Hall be demolished, not without a fight.
In 2015, Waikato District Council adopted a resolution to demolish the Huntly Memorial Hall, due to the costs required to bring it up to a useable standard.
When the decision was made, it was estimated by consultants $1.6 million would be needed to complete earthquake strengthening, roof replacement and install accessible bathrooms and ramps, Council Acting General Manager of service delivery Jacki Remihana said.
Perkins said the figure was a gross overestimate designed to scare ratepayers with a rates hike.
After speaking with a local builder, Perkins was quoted $200,000 to get the hall back up to a usable standard – around the same price estimated to knock the hall down in 2015.
The hall is the largest in the area and can accommodate about 200 people, Perkins said.
The space could be used for line dancing, basketball, futsal, badminton, karate, arts and crafts, school events, gaming days, bird club, cat shows or clearance sales – its potential is huge, he said.
Perkins suggested gambling funds and local business sponsorship as ways to fund the refurbishment of the hall.
‘‘We could almost fund it all ourselves, but council are fighting to have it knocked down.
‘‘They want it gone, so the land can be used to develop sections.’’ Remihana said that wasn’t the case. ‘‘We are not at all against refurbishing the hall.
‘‘We just have to make sure if we are spending ratepayers money it has to be something ratepayers want as a whole.’’
When the decision was made to demolish the hall in 2015, there was relatively low usage of the hall by the community, Remihana said.
Five groups were booking the hall on a regular weekly basis, with the hall in use for seven hours per week, and there were three one-off bookings on average per year, she said.
Council will be sending out a letter to Huntly ratepayers, within the community facilities targeted rate area, next week.
‘‘Next week, we will simply be asking the community if they want and would use a council-owned community facility in Huntly. And if they do, would they support the refurbishment of the Huntly Memorial Hall.’’
Consultation ends on May 11. Feedback will then be collected, analysed and presented to councillors who will decide on the way forward. The earliest a decision would be made would be at council’s July meeting.