Decade of upgrades to Koitiata Community hall finishes

Upgrades to the Koitiata Community Hall included a new kitchen, toilets, heat pumps and gas-powered hot water. Photo / Supplied

Over a decade of community work has come to an end for the most-utilised community hall in Rangitīkei.

The Koitiata Community Hall was built by volunteers from the beach town's community in the late 1970s.

The Rangitīkei District Council owns the hall, but it is run by the Koitiata Hall Committee, which also managed the upgrades.

Koitiata Hall committee chairman Keith Gray said since 2011 the community had raised over $100,000 to upgrade the hall.

He said to raise the funds, the community would have an annual market day on Labour Weekend which raised up to $5000 a year.

"Some of that money would go towards the community hall, and the rest of the money for the hall came in through grants."

Gray had been a permanent resident at Koitiata for 14 years and said he was satisfied to see the project complete.

"It's been a long project but we've seen the end of it now and it's just a lovely community centre that gets used regularly."

The hall was built by volunteers in the late 1970s. Photo / Supplied

Rangitīkei District Council's community services group manager Gaylene Prince said the Koitiata Hall was an integral part of the community.

"The hall is used almost every week for a variety of community-focused activities including craft afternoons, games nights, fire brigade training and meetings, potluck dinners, Melbourne Cup Day, line dancing, and private functions."

The upgrades also included new chairs and tables, a new pie warmer, heat pumps and gas-heated hot water.

Prince said following those upgrades, the committee identified a need to upgrade the toilet facilities and the entrance to the hall as there was no existing disability access.

"In order for this work to proceed, council replaced the hall roof with Colour Steel and the committee applied for funding through the Dudding Trust."

She said following design and consent, the committee received quotes ranging from $108,000 to $148,000 - significantly higher than what the committee could afford.

"With their extensive community connections, the committee identified that there was a concrete placer, plumber, drainlayers, retired builders and a painter within the village," Prince said.

"These tradespeople, alongside others, donated over 600 voluntary hours of labour to ensure that the project came in under budget at a cost of $43,000."

Rangitīkei mayor Andy Watson said the community had done an amazing job.

"They have driven a huge amount of the upgrades themselves and partially funded them," Watson said.