Avening Hall celebrates accessibility at re-opening
Avening Community Centre will celebrate the completion of an accessibility renovation with a grand re-opening on Nov. 30.
The community is invited to take part in the celebration and tour the updated facility. To render the hall fully accessible, it has been outfitted with an elevator, ramps, a new kitchen and gender-free washrooms, including two wheelchair accessible stalls. The renovations were paid for by the Township of Clearview, who owns the building.
Bill Hewitt, who served as hall board chair during the renovation, said he is grateful that the building has been improved to better serve the community and ensure its longevity.
“I think it’s important to have spaces like this to bring people together,” said Hewitt. “It’s been a long time coming but it’s great that we’re here.”
The $1.4-million renovation began in June 2023, after more than a decade of planning, and was plagued with construction delays. A replacement contractor had to be hired after construction targets weren’t met.
“We look forward to welcoming the community back to the hall,” said Hewitt, noting that the hall was often closed during the pandemic, before the renovation began. “We absolutely want people to come and reengage with their community hall and use it.”
He hopes people will come together at the re-opening to visit with fellow community members and share memories.
Avening Community Centre first celebrated its grand opening on July 6, 1951, and with 700 cold meat suppers served that day it was declared “the biggest event in the history of Avening,” by The Creemore Star.
Since then it has been the gathering place for the Junior Farmers and the Avening Women’s Institute, a venue for funerals and weddings, flower shows, bowling leagues, card games, baby showers and birthday parties.
The grand re-opening will be marked with a ribbon cutting at 2 p.m., remarks at 2:30 p.m., afternoon tea, and tours of the facility. Dignitaries, past volunteer board members, and community members should be in receipt of invites but all are welcome.
Visitors will notice that no changes have been made to the main hall, its original character perfectly preserved. The only exception is the installation of an upgraded sound system funded by donations. The bowling alleys are in the process of being refurbished byMurray Lackie, and have already been used several times since the hall opened last month.
According to Let’s Celebrate Nottawasaga’s Sesquicentennial and Ontario’s Bicentennial, the prospect of a community centre started with Avening and Banda Farm Forums which had begun in 1941. In 1950 Jack Rainbird, president of Avening Farm Forum, learned that an Air Force hut was available from Edenvale Aerodrome for $1,000.
Rainbird, Lorne Sutherland and Howard Noble were the key men who approached the bank, and put in money besides, to start the fund. Members of Avening and Banda donated $60 each with the result the hut was purchased for cash.
The hut, 30 feet by 130 feet, was dismantled and moved to Avening. All work was done by community volunteers, except the head electrician, the plasterer and the installation of the furnace.
Beef barbecues, since 1980, have raised considerable funds for renovations and upgrades over the years, along with Wintario grants.
Since 2002, the hall has been a concert venue featuring some of Canada’s top performers, with bar proceeds going to maintenance and upkeep of the hall.
– With files from Helen Blackburn and Let’s Celebrate Nottawasaga’s Sesquicentennial and Ontario’s Bicentennial.
Editor’s Note: Two members of The Echo staff – Sara Hershoff and Bonnie MacPherson – are members of the Avening Community Centre board and Bill Hewitt is married to the author.
