Support the Belfountain Community Hall revival

August 20, 2015 · 0 Comments

By David Kendall
If you don’t want Belfountain’s historical Community Hall to be stomped, then here’s the dust-swirling, heart-throbbing, yippee-kye-yay way to say “No way!”
Show up mid-afternoon this Saturday (Aug. 22) in the green meadow opposite the Caledon Ski Club at the liveliest Under The Maples blues festival ever to strum through these Caledon hills. Your $40 entry ticket (parkin’s free) is gonna garner you the famed gallop of Stompin’ Tom’s original band and a host of other high-kickin’ blues stars.
And it’s gonna corral for all of us a salvaged future for our deteriorated heritage hall, built way back 122 years ago.
Caledon council voted Aug. 11 to invest $216,393 on “minimum maintenance repairs” for the hall — mainly to install a $35,000 septic system, fix up the floor structure for another $35,000 and spend $74,393 for a new roof and trusses.
Until now, the hall operated at a loss of nearly $1,000 per month. But Caledon OPP has shown interest in paying rent and establishing a satellite police station in the hall.
The “minimum” repairs voted through by council don’t allow for amenities and décor. So the Belfountain Community Organization (BCO) will pour all profit generated from the Under The Maples festivities into upgrades.
The hall was closed March 3 until the snow melted and has now re-opened until the snow flies again, says Tom Darlow, facility manager for the Caledon Public Works department.
“The facility is a compact frame building with no particular architectural style,” stated the public works report that Darlow presented to council. This is because the original building was just a single-storey wooden structure built and operated by the Belfountain Mechanics’ Institute. Those were the days of the great quarry-works, when a thousand workers hewed the stone that built Toronto.
Then, in 1931, the hall was jacked up while a concrete block first floor was installed underneath, along with an electrical system. A quarter century later, money was raised for a kitchen extension and two downstairs toilets. Finally in 1973, Caledon took over the building.
Now it’s your turn — yours and mine. So please, round up your friends and mosey up to the Under The Maples jamboree to have a stompin’ good time while your money goes to a great cause.