Approximately more than 50 years old, the “Pender Island Recreation and Agricultural Hall Association” became a non-profit society in 1971. The far-sighted Association supported recreational endeavours of all kinds. Part of its objective at that time was to create a Community hall for the Pender Islands.
In the early ‘80s, the C.R.D. put $50,000 into building a full sized gym into the new school that was being built in return for community use of the gym and a ‘community room’. P.I.R.A.H.A. was the C.R.D.’s (and Pender’s) representative in the ‘Joint Use Agreement’ with the School District, for the scheduling of Pender Island’s community indoor recreation.
When the new school was completed in 1983, the Crown granted the Old School property (now the Auchterlonie Centre) to P.I.R.A.H.A. for ‘recreational purposes’. In the early ‘90s the Pender Island Library Association spearheaded the construction of Pender’s new library on this property.
Shortly after this, taking up the inspiration of Islands Trustee, Bob Allison, P.I.R.A.H.A.’s Hall Steering Committee started looking for a site for a community hall. Land was donated by Karl Hamson in the mid nineties and the community started raising money and building the hall, completing it in the year 2000.
After the ‘Joint Use Agreement’ at the school expired in a 1996 C.R.D. bylaw, P.I.R.A.H.A. continued as the agency for administering the C.R.D.’s recreational funding.
Today P.I.R.A.H.A.’s exciting mandate is to manage two properties with four buildings, used for community recreation purposes, to raise the money to run and equip the community hall, to create recreational programming and to book and organize events.
What’s Happening at the Hall
Film Nights with the Pender Island Film Group
Farmer’s Institute Events, Fall Fair & Saturday Markets.
Yuletide Craft Fair
Performances & Exhibitions
Conference, Wedding & Party Rentals .
Dance Groups
And many other varied activities.
Services P.I.R.A.H.A. provides to Recreational Groups
~ Ownership of Community Recreation Buildings:
P.I.R.A.H.A. provides short-term and long-term facility rentals to community groups. P.I.R.A.H.A.’s buildings are available at inexpensive ‘cost recovery rates, which include a share of expenses and a contribution to building reserves funds to ensure that P.I. R.A.H.A.’s buildings will be there into the future, to serve the community’s recreational needs.
~ Funding Partnerships and Support:
Recreational groups can partner with P.I.R.A.H.A. to fundraise for specific programs and projects using its ‘umbrella’ of advantages..
P.I.R.A.H.A.’s Purpose:
~ To Assist, Develop and Foster Community Spirit.
~ To Promote Agricultural Endeavours of all kinds.
~ To Promote Educational, Cultural, Athletic, and Community Functions.
~ To Acquire and Operate Community Facilities.