Community celebrates finished hall

Betty Beament in the newly extended hall.

IT was a proud moment nearly 30 years years in the making when the Molesworth Community Hall was officially opened earlier today.

Today's ceremony marked the end of three decades of work by members of the local community, including Betty Beament who has been involved since day one.

In 1986 the Molesworth Hall Committee decided to move the hall or build a new community centre. The main reasons were that the existing hall on Collins Cap Rd was too small, it was difficult to access and there was practically no space for car parking.

Stage 1 of the hall in 2008.

In 1988 a public open space grant enabled the purchasing of a site next to Molesworth Primary School and the Molesworth Recreation Ground Special Committee was established by the then New Norfolk Council for the purpose of administering the property. A new hall committee was elected in 1992 and it set about investigating the possibility of moving the hall to the new recreation ground. The hall was put up for sale at the end of 1993 and is now a private residence.

The hall with Stage 2 completed.

Many functions were held in the district to boost the funds, such as bush dances, discos and annual bonfire nights. Work by the two committees continued constantly behind the scenes to get the new hall built. Support from the Derwent Valley Council and a grant from the Tasmanian Community Fund led to a start on the first stage of the new hall in 2001.

The extended hall includes a
badminton court.

The two-storey brick, timber and glass construction was officially opened in April 2007. This included a kitchen, meeting room and public toilets. Attention immediately turned to Stage 2, which would involve the provision of sports courts.

Bushfires in and around Molesworth in early 2013 demonstrated the need for the hall to be extended, not only for sporting purposes but also to provide a suitable facility for use in times of emergency. While no government relief was provided to the Molesworth community as it recovered from the fires, substantial donations were received from Rotary International's Tasmanian Bushfire Relief Fund and Freemasonry Tasmania's Grand Master's Bushfire Relief Fund to carry out Stage 2 of the hall project.

Since the opening of the first stage of the community hall in 2007, the Molesworth Recreation Ground at 600 Molesworth Rd has also become the location of the Molesworth Fire Station. The hall is  available for hire on a one-off, casual or for permanent basis. Suitable occasions include birthdays, weddings, receptions, engagements, Christenings, luncheons, family gatherings, meetings, fundraisers, recreation groups etc. A free barbecue is available. For more information phone 6261 2514.