The recent big freeze in Harden has wreaked havoc on the Senior Citizens Hall, with the -7.8 degree morning on Sunday, July 2, causing water pipes to split, causing thousands of dollars of damage to the facility.
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The icy conditions made for one of the coldest mornings in Harden’s history, with many complaints of frozen pipes in the area.
Club President Jan Spokes and Secretary Shirley Stephens said they were devastated by the damage caused to the building.
“There is not much left inside,” Mrs Stephens said.
“The ceilings have had to be removed, the carpets had to be ripped up, and what we can see that’s left of the furniture will have to be thrown away. All the electrical appliances are gone.
“The Hilltops Council only just finished repainting the kitchen for us a few weeks ago and they did a lovely job,” Mrs Spokes said.
“We have had to cancel all of our meetings, lunches and move our card games to the library for the moment. People don’t realise just how many seniors in our community use this building and how important it is to them. For some, these meetings are their only social life.”
Gabriella Dede, President and Publicity Officer of the Garden Club, was also shocked at the amount of damage caused by the burst pipes.
“The Garden Club is on a break until August, but where will we go then?” Mrs Dede said.
Hilltops Council General Manager Anthony McMahon said in a statement the council was taking all the steps necessary to reopen the building.
“Public safety is our primary concern ...” Mr McMahon said.
“We’re currently in the process of assessing the hall to determine the full extent of the damage and the cost of repair; in the meantime we will continue to work with users to make sure alternative arrangements are in place.”
