One of the busiest halls in the Western Bay of Plenty is receiving an upgrade next month after securing the last $100,000 needed for the facelift.

The historic community venue Ōmokoroa Settlers Hall on Ōmokoroa Rd will be upgraded now it has secured more than $300,000 for the job – with BayTrust contributing the last $100,000 needed.

Ōmokoroa Settlers Hall Society Incorporated secretary Trish Clokie says more than 200 people use the facilities weekly.

There are two halls attached on-site, with the smaller facility built in 1929 as the settlement’s first school.

“The number of people who’ve been to school here and have fond memories of community events…we still have people hosting birthdays and other celebrations here too.

"It’s lovely it’s being used as a community hall should.”

Trish says the venue is used for everything from art expos and market days to yoga sessions, dance classes and table tennis matches.

The ‘small hall’ as it’s known, will have the kitchen and storage areas rebuilt, and floor and roof levels altered to align with the rest of the hall.

“We’re putting in a new kitchen and rejigging the whole thing so there’s no wasted space. And…we’re upgrading the toilet facilities in both halls so they’re fit for today’s purposes.

“They’ll be individual cubicles so there will be more room for people with walkers and wheelchair users, and we’re putting in baby change tables too.

"It’s going to be a lot more appealing to a wider user base.”

An architect drawing showing the back of the small hall with the changed roof line, new kitchen and store area. Photo: supplied.

Trish says Ōmokoroa’s changing demographics mean it’s more important than ever to make improvements.

“We have a lot of young people living here now, and to keep our hall going we need to make it inviting and appealing for them to use.”

BayTrust is one of three main contributors alongside TECT and Te Puna Tahua New Zealand Lottery Grants Board, which put in $96,000 each.

WBOP District Council is paying for new sanitary ware, lighting and security, and the Ōmokoroa Centre Trust has chipped in.

“We originally started this idea several years ago but the cost of building has just rocketed.

"There is no way that without these three major funders, we would be able to afford it,” says Trish.

The new design and building plans have been created by Ian Thorn, of Thorn Architecture Studio Ltd.

Work on the four-month refurbishment is due to begin this December.