Renovations Brighten White Lake Community Hall

By Jo Boxwell

The White Lake Community Hall Society celebrated a big achievement on August 17 with an open house showcasing the hall’s newly renovated basement. The refreshed space is modern, bright and ideally suited for social gatherings. The project was made possible thanks to the society’s efforts and a grant distributed by the CSRD.

A Community Hub Plagued by Problems

The White Lake Community Hall has served the local area for almost 40 years. The hall is available for private and public functions, ranging from weddings and a Mother’s Day brunch to jam nights, seniors’ events and the annual White Lake Turtle Festival.

Collette Hanlon, President of the White Lake Community Hall Society and a key force behind the renovation project, explained that problems with the aging community hall’s basement meant upgrades were needed. “We knew there was something going on with the floor because there were soft spots everywhere,” she said. They began looking for solutions for the dark, dated basement.

Finding Funds

The project was paid for with $288,000 approved by the CSRD through the Community Works Fund (CWF). This fund is part of a federal program called the Canada Community-Building Fund that distributes grants to communities across the country.

Collette took grant writing workshops to help her successfully navigate the application process. Talking with CSRD Director Marty Gibbons was also an important step in discovering the CWF opportunity. Collette suggested that community groups looking for funding should reach out to their area directors to find out more about current grant opportunities.

Out with the Old

Renovations often involve some unpleasant discoveries, and there was more to this job than throwing out the old carpet. “We ended up having to take the ceiling down,” to manage some of the issues, Collette explained. Other problems included mold and fungus under the floor and water coming down the side of the building that had to be diverted to prevent damage in the basement.

The grant covered structural, lighting, bathroom and kitchen upgrades, and the society hired local contractor Benji Flackman (The Big Friendly Carpenter) based in Blind Bay to undertake the renovation work. Collette led the project and was supported by White Lake Community Hall Society board members including Vice President Jane Darnell, whose personal experience with renovations came in handy. White Lake residents also pitched in to help move items so that the renovations could take place.

Enthusiastic Response

Locals had an opportunity to view the completed renovations during the August open house. “Everybody seems to enjoy the fact that it is not dark and dingy anymore!” Collette said of the response. The next step is to move the pool table, air hockey table and darts board back into the basement and the society is already discussing plans to use the space for social gatherings. Thanks to the hard work of volunteers, the White Lake Community Hall will continue to provide residents with valuable opportunities for social connection.

White Lake Community Hall - Newly renovated basement. Photo credit Krista White Photography.

White Lake Community Hall - Newly renovated basement. Photo credit Krista White Photography.

White Lake Community Hall basement prior to renovations - Photo credit Collette Hanlon.

White Lake Community Hall basement prior to renovations - Photo credit Collette Hanlon.