The Legion of Frontiersmen J Squadron's Tauranga Hall is calling for more community groups to hire the facility following a major interior renovation to modernise and improve use of the space for all.

The squadron is hosting a Hall Open Day, on Saturday, March 25 from 10am-2pm, for potential users, the community and those with local Frontiersmen links to view the transformation.

J Squadron's Val Baker, who led the renovation work, says the hall on Elizabeth St has been occupied by Frontiersmen since 1948.

'According to Legion of Frontiersmen J Squadron 1948 meeting minutes, back then we signed a perpetual lease with what was Tauranga Borough Council for the building to be used as our clubrooms.

'Over the years, as Frontiersmen memberships dwindled, we've shifted with the times and opened the facility for hire to community groups.”

With the squadron's perpetual lease with Tauranga City Council up for renewal in June, the group has spent the last three years, with a major push in the last 12 months, tidying the facility up and transforming it to entice more community groups to use it.

'We really need to hold onto this hall as a community resource but also to keep our Tauranga Frontiersmen history intact,” says Val, who reckon J Squadron's hall is one of only two left in New Zealand. The second is in Whakatane.

'I've seen at least five halls sold or relinquished in the last few decades and considering we had so many Legion of Frontiersmen in NZ, it's a shame.

'That's why it's so important that we keep this hall. It's part of Tauranga's history, part of both NZ's and Tauranga's Frontiersmen history – and it is a much-needed community resource that anyone can use.”

Renovation work has included replacing the building's exterior signage; repainting the hallway, foyer and entrance of the building. 'We've also refurbished the Memorial Room and closed off the Ross Nielson lounge – this is a memorial space to all Frontiersmen and its history.”

The main hall has received major work too. The room's studs have been lined with blonde-lined UV-protected plywood – this has added insulation while removing the iconic pink and maroon colours from the walls.

'Even the light switches, doors and doorframes were half-pink, half-maroon,” says Val. 'Now it has a neutral colour scheme that looks clean, fresh, light, and the room is warmer. The rimu doors were stripped of paint and brought back to their original natural tone with polyurethane.”

Bottom windows have been frosted for privacy, and blockout blinds added to offer shade on summer afternoons. Donated room dividers, cabinets, tables, chair can be utilised, along with ample visitor carparking. A smartboard, also donated, is to be installed soon.

Plus a new security and camera system is operating outside the building and inside the foyer. 'This allows us to only charge users for the exact time they use the hall – as well as providing better security for the facility.”

Val's team intend on more renovations, 'but currently this is not in our abilities in terms of cost”. 'We have ongoing improvements we want to make, such as modernising the toilets, but we need to hire out the hall to fundraise for this work.

'We've spent $50,000 in the last three years on upgrading facilities and a few exterior repairs. Now we're at the stage where we need more groups to use the hall. We hope the renovations will make the facility more suitable to more groups.”

Val says the hall needs to be hired 20-30 hours per week to break even and to continue upgrades.

'We'd like more people to come on-board – because every penny the hall makes is spent back on the facility to make it a better place for the community to use.”

She invites anyone interested to the March 25 Open Day. 'As well as linking up with hall users we're looking to gather more history on Tauranga's Legion of Frontiersmen, to add to our photographs of our fallen on display.

'People with family that are past Legion members may be able to assist us with photographs. So please come to the Open Day or give me a call.”

For hall hire enquiries, or to offer historical information, call Val Baker on 027 285 9714.