Township hopes renovated Grenfel hall becomes beehive of activity

It’s not often that you get to use the word "charming" to describe a municipally owned facility, but it’s the only word that accurately describes the recently revitalized Grenfel Community Hall in Springwater Township.

Sporting a welcoming colour palette and soft, diffused lighting courtesy of a series of wall sconces, the interior of the hall, located west of Barrie, looks more like a living room than a meeting space.

The small kitchen at the back of the hall reinforces the residential vibe.

The kitchen’s third sink, however, gives the hall a unique commercial advantage - it complies with health regulations for a separate sink for hand-washing — in addition to dish washing and dish rinsing sinks — making the hall a top pick for anybody who’s looking to host an event that is as focused on food as much as it is on entertainment and fun.

“It’s cute, isn’t it?” Springwater Township Ward 4 Coun. Anita Moore said as she took a group of visitors on a tour of the facility, located at 1989 Sunnidale Rd., on Wednesday night. “We’ve got new electrical, new lighting, new windows, a new paved driveway and a new kitchen.

“If you didn’t see it before, trust me, this looks fantastic," she added. 

The hall, which was built in 1953, was shuttered about seven months ago. It’s been back on the township’s facilities inventory for a few weeks after the municipality spent about $125,000 renovating and updating the building.

In August 2022, staff estimated the cost of improvements to the hall would be about $75,000. In November 2023, the project received an additional $49,500 from the recreation facility reserve due to escalating construction and renovation costs.

“I think it’s a big success,” Dean Collver, Springwater's director of recreation, parks and facilities, said near the end of the tour. “We want to bring some life back into these buildings.”

According to Moore, the hall used to be a beehive of activity, hosting everything from birthday parties and baby showers to weddings and family reunions.

Over the years, she said, numerous community groups, including the Girl Guides, woodcarvers and euchre clubs, held weekly get-togethers.

She’s hoping the recent sprucing up will lead folks back to the hall’s front doors.

“We’ve got 50 acres here,” Moore said. “In addition to the hall, we’ve got two baseball diamonds, a playground, a covered outdoor skating rink and tons of parking.

“And it’s cheap, real cheap.”

According to the township’s facilities fees, Grenfel Community Hall, which has an occupancy limit of 60 people, rents for $200 per day for a booking on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or statutory holiday. It also costs $200 per day if you require a licence to sell alcohol, regardless of the day of the week.

A full-day hall rental, Monday to Thursday, without a licence to sell alcohol, is priced at $150.

The hourly hall rental rate is $30, Monday to Thursday.

A security deposit of $150 is required for some bookings.

Springwater’s other community halls — in Anten Mills, Elmvale, Hillsdale, Midhurst and Minesing — have all had building condition assessments done, allowing the township the opportunity to pick and choose projects that can be managed and accomplished without breaking the bank.

The township is currently looking at support for the Anten Mills Community Centre, which requires a new floor, new drop ceiling and a variety of other upgrades.