Parishioners and everyone in the wider community will be delighted to hear that the renovation works in the Church Hall have finally been completed and the Hall will be back in use again in January 2013.
Since the end of August, the Hall has been extensively refurbished and upgraded to better meet the needs of those who use it on a regular basis and to enable it to be used by a greater range of organisations and groups in the future.
A grant of £50,000 has been received from the International Fund for Ireland through the Rural Development Council.
The main improvements include:
NEW STORAGE AREAS:
The old stage has been taken away and a new area formed to accommodate chairs, the new stage and equipment for organisations.
NEW MEETING ROOMS:
Above the new storage area, there is a now a meeting room for small groups and which the youth organisations can use for classes, talks etc.
The room beyond the kitchen, which has latterly been used for the storage of chairs, has been modernised and will be suitable for smaller meetings, groups etc.
NEW LIGHTING:
Low energy lighting has been installed which will not only be cheaper to run, but will also be able to be used in different configurations for a wide range of events.
IMPROVED INSULATION:
This has been included throughout and will lead to a reduction in our heating costs.
With the completion of these works, the Hall now provides flexible space for a range of community uses for many years to come.
To mark the completion of the work, an informal opening ceremony will be held on Saturday 19th January 2013 between 10.00 am and 12 noon. This will take the form of an exhibition featuring a range of activities promoting healthy lifestyles together with information from other community and statutory bodies. Representatives from the Rural Development Council, the International Fund for Ireland, as well as the Mayor of Craigavon will be present.
Bishops Harold Miller and Ken Clarke – a former Curate in the Parish will also be there, so please put this date in your diary and come along.