Community & Business
23 June, 2021
Facelift for Cambooya Hall
After decades of gradual decline into a worsening condition, Cambooya Public Hall is currently receiving a $200,000 renewal of its exterior as part of the 2021/22 Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) Annual Budget.
The work, which started a few weeks ago, is scheduled to be completed in July.
TRC said the refurbishment includes exterior painting and the replacement of roof sheeting, which are both in poor condition and where necessary the roofing structure will also be replaced, as will damaged external wood boards on the fascia of the building.
Clare Coughlan, Secretary of Cambooya Public Hall Association, which operates Cambooya Hall, said the repairs came as a much welcomed surprise.
“It exceeded our expectations,” Mrs Coughlan said.
“We knew nothing about it.
“Over a ten-year period we’ve had no contact with Council about it other than having expressed in surveys as a committee that we can’t afford the repairs the hall needs.”
The high cost of repainting the hall is due to the existing paint being lead-based, which Mrs Coughlan said is a very expensive procedure.
The poor condition of the roofing structure has required it all to be replaced.
Mrs Coughlan said TRC’s goal that the renewal work will maintain the historic features of the building is very important.
Joan England, Treasurer of Association, said it was “wonderful” that the repairs are underway.
“We could never have done it as a committee,” Mrs England said.
“We had a grant once but the repairs went way beyond anything the hall committee could ever contemplate doing.”
Mrs England said she believed the roof structure was original to the building, which dates back to 1908.
“It is original as far as I’m aware,” she said.
Mrs England has been Treasurer for twelve years and on the committee for over twenty years.
The lead paint job on the building’s exterior is also believed to be at least 30 years old.
Mrs England said now that work on the exterior of the
hall had finally been started, it would be great if the interior could receive some attention.
“The hall could do with new toilets, as they have no wheelchair access, are old and out of date.”
“Kitchen upgrades would be lovely too,” Mrs England said.
Cambooya Hall is owned by Toowoomba Regional Council.
