Pioneer hall protectors lament end of an era
Not enough was done to save the 73-year-old venue, its supporters say
“All it needed was a little bit of love.”
With the demolition of Wollongong CBD’s 73-year-old Pioneer Hall now under way, the family which oversaw its operation for decades is lamenting its loss.
Robert Davies’ mother, Norma Lizzi, headed up the Pioneer Hall Trust for more than 20 years before ill health forced her to hand over the keys and responsibility for the building to Wollongong City Council five years ago as the pandemic hit.
Robert struggles with council’s decision to condemn the building with, as he sees it, no effort made to “keep it alive”.
He said the trust, run by his mother, invested tens of thousands of dollars over the years to ensure the hall’s long-term future.
“We painted the building ourselves. We paid to replace the galvanised iron roof, probably 10 years ago,” Robert said. “There’s no cracks in the outside of the building. It looks structurally sound to me.”
Council has a very different view.
When announcing its decision to demolish the 1953 built hall this year, council said “when the Wollongong Pioneer Hall Association handed management of the hall back to council in May 2021, an inspection identified significant structural issues within the building, including leaks in the roof and instability in the flooring.
"The building’s amenities, including the kitchen and toilet facilities, were found not to meet basic compliance and safety standards required for the hall to be reopened to the public.”
Robert said he was “shocked” when he read in The Illawarra Flame that council would pay $340,000 to demolish the building rather than spend a little over $500,000 which council said would be required to make the hall fit for purpose.
The late Norma Lizzi and her team ensured the hall was well used and maintained for decades. At right: Norma's son, Robert. Photos: supplied, Jeremy Lasek
“Why do they want to get rid of it?” Robert asked. “They could repair it and rent it out to the community and make some revenue from it. It’s one of the biggest halls going around.
"They’re just so short-sighted knocking it down when the community in this part of Wollongong is growing so fast. All it needed was a little bit of love.”
Robert said his late mother would be so disappointed that the halls days were numbered.
“She’d be rolling in her grave. She fought very hard, she and a lot of old Wollongong pensioners. They fought hard to keep this hall,” Robert said.
He said different councils had tried to have the hall shut down “for decades. Even back in Frank Arkell’s era.”
But Robert said the hall was a gift to the people of Wollongong and they were never going to give it up without a fight.
“Community halls like this are rare in this day and age, and it’s a part of our heritage. There are a million things you could use it for. Did council even think of the options? Did they ask the people of Wollongong if they had a view? They could have restored it and advertised it for community use.
“Instead, in the five years since we handed the keys over, they haven‘t spent a cent on it. They’ve done nothing.”
Popular in its heyday
As reported in the Flame, the hall was hugely popular in the 1960s and '70s, hosting regular dances, concerts, charity events, and it was a common meeting place for community groups.
In more recent times, exercise sessions and tai chi classes were held in the hall.
Lynne Dent said she discovered Pioneer Hall when she attended a Seniors Week event in 2014.
“The hall was very well maintained and it had a beautiful floor which any dancer would love,” Lynne said. “I felt it compared favourably with the Builders Club and the Collegians Illawarra Leagues Club, where my husband, John, played in several dance bands.”
Tai chi classes were popular before the pandemic hit. Photos: Lynne Dent/supplied, Jeremy Lasek
Lynne said she and her husband attended tai chi classes for a number of years until the hall was closed due to the pandemic. It has never opened again since being under council’s management.
“It seemed council wasn’t interested in supporting this type of activity for its seniors, which is what we are now.
“I’m truly sorry to see the hall go as it means more to us than the building itself.”
A council spokesperson said “after considering escalating costs of refurbishment, and alignment with broader objectives of MacCabe Park, to be a vibrant public open space, it was determined that demolishing the hall is the preferred option”.
Hazardous materials were removed before demolition of the hall could begin. Photos: Jeremy Lasek
