Taranaki charities to benefit from hall sale proceeds

New Plymouth charities are to receive more than $70,000 from the sale of a vacant section once home to a community’s favourite hall before an arsonist set it alight.

The country hall in New Plymouth was destroyed two years ago. The damage was so extensive it was not feasible to rebuild, and the hall society had to put the vacant section on the market for sale.

Locals were shocked by the incident as the hall had been a big part of the Hurworth community - used for dances, parties and country sports days, since the 1930s.

Hurwoth Hall Committee chairman Tom Cloke said: “It was devastating to see the hall burnt down, and devastating to let it go, but we had to move on.”

“The society wanted something good to come from such a despicable act, so we decided to donate the proceeds from the fire insurance and section sale to local New Plymouth and North Taranaki charities,” says Mr Cloke.

Bayleys Taranaki residential sales consultant Graham Cochrane and Bayleys Taranaki Co-owner Neale Parkinson were given the responsibility of selling the section. Mr Cochrane and Mr Parkinson have lived in the Taranaki area for many years and wanted to support a cause close to their hearts.

“We decided to approach all our suppliers, and see if they could help our local charities make the most from this sale,” says Mr Cochrane. He and his colleague Mr Parkinson also provided their services free of charge to show their support for a hall that has provided them with many happy memories over the years.

Among the companies which contributed their services toward the successful sale were:

• Taranaki Daily News advertised the section free of charge.
• Marketing website Open2view took photos and posted the property on its website free of charge.
• Taranaki Signs created the signage free of charge.
• Real estate publication Property Press advertised the section free of charge.
• Even the local rural delivery man delivered fliers around the community free of charge.

Bayleys Taranaki received three offers for the section through a tender process - with a successful buyer paying $72,500 for the section last month.

In addition to the sale proceeds, the hall society received an insurance payout of $180,000.

Mr Cloke said the hall society was looking forward to dispersing the money among community groups.

“The funds will be meaningful, and benefit the wider New Plymouth and North Taranaki community. We have already allocated some $90,000 to the Taranaki Helicopter Trust for new night vision goggles which they greatly appreciated,” says Mr Cloke.