The Woodstock Town Hall reopened last Thursday after undergoing more than R3.5 million in repairs and refurbishments since the start of the year.
The hall opened in 1935, and an adjacent minor hall and Woodstock library were added in 1936 and 1938 respectively.
In recent years, the building has been in a state of disrepair.
Ward councillor Ian McMahon said the hall had been vandalised during lockdown and voting for a 2020 by-election had to take place in a tent in the nearby park.
It was at Mr McMahon’s request that the City undertook the refurbishments.
“It’s vitally important to create community spaces, especially after these past few years that have kept communities indoors,” he said.
The City’s recreation and parks department went ahead with the work in February after getting the necessary heritage permit in August last year.
Among other things, the work included painting the inside and outside of the hall, replacing ceilings and the electrical infrastructure, repairs to the floor and refurbishment of the main hall’s wooden floor.
Mr McMahon said private security had been hired to protect the hall and he hoped that a future recreation and parks department budget would find the money for security cameras.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, who cut the ribbon to officially reopen the hall, thanked Mr McMahon and the recreation and parks department for their involvement in the project.
“This is a project we can be truly proud of and I hope it will give many more years of love and faithful service to this community,” he said.
Woodstock Residents’ Association chairperson Andrea Couvert said they were glad the renovations were over, although they were concerned that the hall was not yet available on the City’s booking system.
Mr McMahon said the fire department could only issue an occupancy certificate for the hall once work on its sprinkler and fire alarm systems had been finished.
The venue should be ready for use by the end of October, he said.
An outdoor gym was unveiled at the Woodstock Town Hall park on the same day that the hall was reopened.
Mr McMahon said the gym cost more than R88 000 and was funded from his ward budget.
“A large factor was to create a more cohesive community space where the broader family and friends can come and picnic, where the toddlers play on the swings and the teenagers on the gym or skate park, all built around the entire family,” he said.
Mr Hill-Lewis also turned a sod to plant a ficus tree in honour of Arbor Week, which South Africa celebrates in the first week of September.
