AN appeal has gone out to find creative ways of ensuring that the community hall in Union Hall remains open.
Escalating insurance costs, as well as the red tape that follows insurance, is presenting some difficulties at present, according to Don O’Donovan, the chairperson of the Union Hall Development Association.
But a well-attended meeting, held in that very same Parish-owned hall on Monday night, may have opened people’s eyes to the fact that if they don’t use it they could lose it.
With insurance costs of €3,000, and an overall running cost per annum of about €10,000, Don said their policy covers everything from the car park to the hall, the pitch, and the playground that is leased to Cork County Council. The problem is not exclusively financial, it also has to do with the fact that community groups looking to lease the hall have to have their own insurance policy.
‘The hall is currently being used by Foróige and Sports Ireland both of which have their own insurance, but so much more use could be made of this fine facility,’ said Don.
‘There are lots of communities that would give anything to have such a fine facility so it was good to see so many people at the meeting keen to find new ways of using it.
‘It is especially useful during the winter months, and has the backing of the Cnoc Buí Arts Centre, which hosted a special anniversary screening of The War of the Buttons. And it is also available for hire for weddings and community celebrations.
‘I would love to see more use being made of that hall,’ he added. ‘It’s just the amount of red tape and hoops that you have to go through that puts some people off.
The chairperson acknowledged that the amount of red tape that follows insurance is holding things back in other communities too, but he made the point: ‘If we, here in Union Hall, want to keep our community hall, we need to make the best use of it that we can.’
