Crossgar centre celebrates its diamond anniversary

Crossgar centre celebrates its diamond anniversary

19 December 2012

CROSSGAR War Memorial Community Hall is celebrating 60 years at the heart of village life.

And with a new memorial plaque rededicated and mounted to mark the occasion, the volunteers who help keep this vital space open hope the hall will mark many more significant anniversaries to come.

Crossgar woman Helen Graham is one of the long-standing committee members. She explained the hall was originally built in 1952 as a memorial to those who died in both the Second and First World Wars.

“There was a collection after the soldiers returned from war, and there was money left over and they wondered what to do with it,” said Helen.

“With the help of the Carnegie Trust and local donations it was decided to build this hall. It cost £9,000 at the time and it remains basically the same shape.”

A £50,000 refurbishment six years ago, however, ensured the facility, which hosts a major and minor hall, could be brought into 21st century.

“It just did not look as it should have,” said Helen. “There is now a nice kitchen and a disabled entrance, for instance, and work was carried out on the lighting and the flat roof.”

Used on a weekly basis for local groups catering for all ages and interests, Helen explained that they had had “pretty much all things here over the years”.

“On Monday we have Slimming World, on Tuesday we have Jujitsu, on Wednesday bowling, on Thursday there is a children’s day including Fresh ‘n Fly dancers at 4.30pm, as well as Zumba and Old Time Dancing.”

People hire the hall and on Fridays we hold dances, variety concerts and on Saturdays charity events such as bring and buy sales.

“The Minor Hall gets used for committee meetings, such as the vintage and tractor or gardening clubs.”

While the hall is well used, Helen stresses there is more capacity for most days of the week except Thursday.

“Obviously there is room for scope, for new activities,” she said. “We have not encouraged discos due to concerns over drugs and for any youth event we ask for big percentage of leaders.

“It is very much a community hall that has been used by the whole community, and we very much hope that will continue to be the case.”

To contact Crossgar War Memorial Community Hall, which is located in John Street, telephone 028 4483 0732, or visit http://crossgarwmch.ruralcommunitynetwork.org/