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A merry crowd of revellers celebrated the Matakana Village Hall’s 60th birthday with a heritage high tea on Sunday, November 24.
The anniversary included a display of Matakana memorabilia, covering the years from the 1800s to the 1960s. There were also displays by hall users including the Matakantata choir, Community Garden, table tennis and fitness classes.
Although there has been a hall on the current site in Matakana Valley Road since 1876, when Dr Cuickshank donated the land, the current hall was built 60 years ago when the former hall burned down. The builder of the new hall was Norman Roke and his daughter, Ann Cates, along with one of the builder volunteers, Jack Algie, cut the anniversary cake.
Mr Algie recalled the building process and how the £3000 insurance cheque on the old hall paid for the new hall. Current hall committee chair Neville Johnson remarked that the insurance on the current hall was closer to $2 million. He said upcoming projects on the hall committee’s agenda included painting the outside of the hall, a kitchen renewal and re-modelling the stage.
MC for the afternoon was Wendy Douglas and various prizes were awarded in categories such as best-dressed and best hat.
