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Lodge closed for public bookings during renovations
The Loyal Orange Lodge hall will be closed for public bookings for a little while longer while members of the organization work on renovating the building.
The Protestant fraternal charitable organization has had roots in the building at 5204 – 49 Ave. since 1936, and is part of a national organization, the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada said Bill Johnston, treasurer of the local group.
He said the doors closed to the public between six and seven months ago in order to take the time to boost the lodge’s look.
“We’re going to put a new roof on it and doors, and paint it and clean it up and fix up the inside before we rent it to the public again.”
He anticipates starting work in the spring when things warm up and, if things go as planned, reopening by summer’s end.
Currently the group of about 15 meets once a month.
Johnston said the group makes donations to charities around Innisfail such as the food bank, schools and hospitals but noted lately they haven’t given many handouts.
“Mainly I think it’s because nobody has been asking for them,” he said, adding it’s something the group wants to start focusing on again.
A women’s group, also based out of the lodge, has decided to move out from the hall.
Mary Thompson, one of about five women out of the same location, said they will be continuing to volunteer but likely from a new location, probably a group member’s home.
“We’re going to carry on and do it out of our homes just to keep it going. I’ve been there over 50 years so we don’t just want to give it up altogether.”
She said they had a more active role in the hall, and helped with renting it out.
“We just can’t keep up with the cleaning of it. Some people (who rent it) clean it really well after they have been there and others don’t. Us women just can’t look after it anymore.”
Johnston said he will be finding a new key holder to rent the space and collect fees once all the repairs have been finished.
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