Ngaio Town Hall turns 100 in August

The Ngaio Crofton Downs Residents Association in conjunction with the Onslow Historical Society are celebrating 100 years since the opening of the Ngaio Town Hall in August 1925. We are hosting an Afternoon Tea on Sunday 3 August at 2pm. All Welcome.

The Council of the day didn’t have the money to fund the building of a public hall in Ngaio, so under pressure from the newly established Ngaio Progressive Association (the forerunner of today’s residents association) agreement was reached for a £5000 loan over 10 years to be repaid by an additional rates charge on Ngaio ratepayers.

The grand opening was on Saturday 1 August 1925 with a vaudeville concert and speeches from dignitaries including the Mayor, Charles Norwood.
Then the social and cultural life of Ngaio inhabitants and others really got underway and hasn’t stopped: fetes, fundraisers, dances, parties, weddings, films, lectures, sporting activities,musical events, concerts and shows.

Viv Chapple of the Joint Centenary Committee says “ The hall has formed a back note to people’s lives for a very long time. We’ve thought long and hard about how we can celebrate this achievement and so as well as the Afternoon Tea we are now fundraising to buy a Blue Plaque for the Hall. Blue Plaques are organised by Historic Places Aotearoa, and identify something special about the “place”.  Ngaio Town Hall is an ideal candidate to have the third plaque in Wellington after Randell Cottage in Thorndon and St Peter’s in Willis Street.  

We’re asking the hall’s community will get in behind the blue plaque, to recognise the Halls contribution to our community, by making a donation towards the cost of around $2500.

Donations should be made to the Ngaio Crofton Downs Residents Association account, number 12-3223-0086781-00. Please use Blue Plaque as the reference, and you can put your name in particulars.

See you at the Afternoon Tea, 3 August!”