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Palling Recreation Commission raises money to restore community hall

The commission raised over $8,000 dollars in an online auction to pay for engineering expenses
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Palling Community Hall has been in the community since 1941. (Laura Blackwell photo/Lakes District News)

A fundraiser auction to save Palling Hall from closing finished accepting bids on April 28, the day before winners were announced.

Shyla Siegner is the president of the Palling Recreation Commission. She said the online auction – which accepted bids on Facebook – was a success, making more than $8,000. The auctioned items were donated by members of the community.

“There’s been such an outpouring of support from people coming forward to say how much that Hall means to them,” Siegner said. “It seems like everyone you talk to has some sort of tie to that little hall.”

Siegner said that the money they raised from the auction will replace some of the money they’ve spent on engineering to replace Palling Hall’s foundation and floor joists.

“Because we’re a public access building, we have to have it engineered,” Siegner said.

Initially, the Palling Hall Recreation Commission spent 4,600 dollars to have the building assessed for the foundation replacement. That’s when they discovered the rotten floor joists. The Commission is having a raffle to pay for the next round of engineering, which Siegner says could cost up to $10,000.

“We’re raffling off a fishing charter and a two-night stay in Prince Rupert,” Siegner said.

After the next round of engineering is complete, the Commission will be soliciting quotes from contractors and applying for grants to fund the next phase of renovations.

Palling Hall was built in 1941. It is used for community events, including birthday parties, holiday functions, funerals, weddings and an annual New Year’s Eve celebration.

“We probably serve 300 or 400 people,” Siegner said. “Anyone can use it.”

The Palling Hall Recreation Commission is in the process of sending out appreciation cards to everyone who donated. Siegner said the community never fails to come together when there is a crisis.

READ MORE: Can you help us save the Palling Hall?