The Cromwell Memorial Hall was farewelled yesterday at a suitably atmospheric and ghostly dawn service.
About 100 people huddled together under Central Otago’s freezing inversion layer beside Cromwell’s cenotaph to say goodbye to the 64-year-old memorial hall, which is making way for a $45.8 million events centre.
The cenotaph will be relocated during the project, which has been labelled by the Central Otago District Council as its "most significant and ambitious capital project ever undertaken".
The ceremony was opened by local iwi, led by kaihapai/cultural representative Mauraka Edwards, of Kati Huirapa Runaka Ki Puketeraki.
Cromwell Community Board chairwoman Anna Harrison, former Cromwell borough mayor Peter Mead, and Cromwell RSA president Denis Ryan spoke about the history of the hall and its many users.
Mrs Harrison said the board was excited about the possibilities for the new facility and how it would link to local culture and heritage.
It would be more than an auditorium. There would be a dedicated space for the RSA and memorabilia, as well as the local museum.
One of the largest spaces overlooking the lake would be a wedding venue.
Mr Mead briefly outlined the history of Cromwell halls.
"But times do change. Cromwell has changed enormously and now is it time to move forward into the new era."
He was looking forward to reigniting the RSA’s eternal flame for Cromwell’s fallen during world wars.
The eternal flame had glowed continuously in Cromwell for six decades until it was turned off a year ago when power was cut to the hall.
"In two years’ time it will be lit again. It will be the first item seen in the new hall, in memory of Cromwell [service people] and the legacy they have left for us", he said.
Long-time protester of changes to the memorial hall and cenotaph, David George, was at the event but did not interrupt.
Mr George told the Otago Daily Times "I cried for the war memorial". He did not want the cenotaph to be moved, and despite all the decisions having now been made, he said he would "keep fighting until I die".
