Westland District War Memorial Hall 2013 demolition, Hokitika, and new RSA PHOTO ALBUM

About this image

DescriptionPicture shows Anthea Keenan and then West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O'ConnorDate of Photo2013Map^[1]ContributorAnthea Keenan

Shown in this image

Location (city or town)HokitikaEventWestland District War Memorial Hall 2013 demolition, Hokitika, and new RSA

From Facebook

CommentsLiz Hay
The old hall was where I first met my father, Fred Sweney. I was just over 2 years old. After the war finished, it took some time to bring all the men back, so my father finally returned in January 1946. After the troop ship docked in Lyttelton, a special railcar brought the West Coast men straight through to the Coast. When they arrived in Hokitika, the men were marched, in the rain, around to the memorial hall. All the families were waiting; with my mother and I all dressed up in our best clothes. There were speeches, and refreshments, presumably the customary cuppa, and sandwiches and cakes. I don't remember any of it, of course, but we do have family photos.

Nana Anthea-Rose
It was 2015 demolition. 2013 Council deemed it risk! veterans out!. So I invited Veterans into Council & built bridges and to form working group for a way forward. RSA set up in corner of Council building meantime. We ran garage sales to see what we could raise, the interest was there for sure. Then Council took the keys off us to run our garage sales here on site & gated off building... we luckily had a key to get all saleable goods out & set up shop elsewhere thanks to good community folk. Rose was mainstay to get new plans drawn up as Council had their company at a price $23k ready to demolish - another community contractor Alistair Cameron gave voluntary time/machinery for demolition.... it was a sad day I didn't go in to watch!. but continued to assist raising foothold for new building up to $120k.

OCR Text Transcription Edit Edit +-Close

Editing is temporarily disabled

Cancel Edit

Start typing here to find a location	Latitude	Longitude	Zoom	Actions

loading google map....

Save Cancel

Menu

Westland District War Memorial Hall 2013 demolition, Hokitika, and new RSA *PHOTO ALBUM*

Editing is temporarily disabled

Westland District War Memorial Hall 2013 demolition, Hokitika, and new RSA PHOTO ALBUM