Repaint for new season

- By Julia Wade

A local historical treasure is in for a spring spruce-up thanks to a funding gift from Kaipara District Council.

Mangawhai’s ‘grand old lady’, the Library Hall, will be receiving a fresh coat of paint in time for the venues summer season of hosting parties, weddings and other social functions.

President of Mangawhai Library Hall Committee, Rosemary Browne, says the revamp is possible due to the organisation receiving a Mangawhai Endowment Land Account MELA grant.

“We are very grateful to the council and to the two contractors – the team from Chemwash Warkworth and George McNaughton of MCM Property Solutionz – for their community spirit in agreeing to do the work for a very competitive price,” she says.

When first built in 1893, the hall contained a library, hence the name, and was used for a variety of events including funerals and agricultural shows as well as a movie theatre.

Today the building holds a number of regular weekly bookings from Keep Fit, line dancing, yoga classes to the Saturday market and the Memo.

A wooden floor, good acoustics and stage also make the venue ideal for one-off special events.

Prep work and painting is to commence on October 6 but will not interfere with the regular bookings through the week Browne says.

n If you would like to book the hall for your group or function please contact hall hirer, Deb Doehn 431 3065, 027 201 3887 or mwilibraryhall@gmail.com

MAKEOVER: Mangawhai’s historic Library Hall is about to get a fresh coat of paint.