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A $5.6 million project to restore the Warkworth Town Hall will be unveiled at a Grand Opening party on February 25.
The 105-year-old heritage building has been closed since 2011 due to structural safety concerns. Auckland Council is funding $4.3 million and Rodney Local Board has contributed $1.2 million, of which the Warkworth Town Hall Trust is covering $675,000.
The restoration included a seismic upgrade with new foundations and floors, a new roof, mezzanine heritage flooring and other heritage renovations. The hall has new electrical and plumbing services, air conditioning, refreshed bathrooms, new acoustics and piano storage, a lowered stage and stage lift.
The hall can cater for 350 sitting in the main hall and 50 in the upper gallery.
A new addition has a kitchen cum meeting space which has its own entrance, toilets and a disabled lift.
Council senior publicity specialist Liz Kirschberg says the Senior Citizens Rooms and Bridge Club rooms next door will remain. She says the Town Hall will initially be managed by Council.
The main hall will cost $59 an hour to hire at peak times and $47.20 in off-peak, the mezzanine and the kitchen/meeting room will both be $24 peak and $19.20 off-peak each. There is a 20 per cent discount for regular hirers or 50 per cent discount for community benefit events.
Liz says they will be taking bookings from March 11. Potential hirers can express an interest by calling 09 379 2030 or emailing venuehire@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or via the online booking tool. Warkworth Theatre, Warkworth Music, Kowhai Singers and Warkworth Floral Art Group are among the first groups to show interest in booking the hall.
Opening Celebrations
The Town Hall Grand Opening will include a nod to the past and a celebration of the future.
Following a dawn blessing at 6am, organised by Auckland Council, the community-led celebration runs from 10am to 3pm.
The day starts with a ribbon cutting ceremony, then performances from Talbot Dance Academy, singer Lou Lou, Warkworth and Wellsford Pipe Band, Warkworth Drama Group, Warkworth Primary School kapa haka, Mahurangi College students, Kiribati Rodney Community Group, Tai Chi and a magician.
Warkworth Brass Band euphonium player Dianne Beetham will play The Pilgrims’ Chorus from Richard Wagner’s opera Tannhauser. It was played by the Town Band with euphonium solo by A. Rayner at the original Grand Opening Concert of the hall on October 4, 1911.
Grand Opening team member Glennys Oliver says along with the performances, 20 local community groups will display information in the hall during the day, including a Warkworth Museum historic display.
Commemorative tote bags, food and drink will be for sale. Warkworth Town Hall Restoration Trust chair Ilona Rodgers will MC the day.
