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Grand old dame of Warkworth gets a makeover

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Auckland, February 22, 2017

The 105-year-old history of the Warkworth Town Hall will reopen on Saturday, February 25, 2017 after undergoing refurbishment.

Architect Matthews said that maintaining the sense of architectural and social history of the hall was paramount to the success of this restoration.

He supervised the two-and-a-half-year upgrade of the building, which is classified as ‘Historic Category One’ building by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

The hall has stood at the heart of the community since it opened on 4 October 1911.

Countless couples have met on the dancefloor with some later marrying there.

In wartime, it was the venue for farewells, fundraising efforts and homecomings.

Enlivening history

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff described the restoration process as ‘great.’

“It means that the building will continue to serve the needs of the local community as it has for more than a century. Most importantly, it keeps alive a critical part of Warkworth’s history and reminds us of the way we were,” he said.

The day will begin with a dawn karakia followed by an official opening at 10 am by Mayor Goff and Rodney Local Board member Brenda Steele.

The building will then be open to the public who will be entertained with performances from community groups.

“Many people have worked tirelessly over several years to restore the old town hall, and all their hard work and fundraising efforts have certainly paid off. Warkworth has a beautiful, historic and functional town hall that future generations will enjoy using,” Ms Steele said.

Significant Precincts

The Warkworth Town Hall’s significance goes beyond the centre’s history.

It is the only civic building in New Zealand and one of only a handful in Australasia constructed from hollow glazed blocks.

The materials were devised and patented by Tom Clark Sr, who built the Hall in 1911.

The handmade blocks add to the unique character and were a precursor to the concrete blocks used today.

The $5.6m cost of the restoration project was covered by the Rodney Local Board, Warkworth Town Hall Restoration Trust (WTHRT), the WTHRT fundraising committee, Auckland Council, a Lotteries Commission grant and Watercare.

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