A fresh lick of paint, upgraded electrics and landscaping has transformed the rundown former Tanilba Bay Girl Guides hall into a space befitting its new purpose of being a centre for community and hope.
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More than a dozen tradespeople recently descended on the Coweambah Way hall for a "lightning-fast renovation" that also included a plumbing upgrade and addition of a fence.
The refurbishment was made possible through a $10,000 donation from heavy machinery specialist Komatsu and its Live Your Dream program to The Smith Family.
The Smith Family, which delivers a range of services and programs aimed at improving outcomes for children aged up to 12 and their families, decided to use the funds to upgrade Centre for Hope's Tilligerry hall, which for the past two years has operated as a youth drop-in.
"In two full weeks plus four weekends we got the job done," Scott Curtis from Komatsu's Newcastle branch said.
"It was sensational. Every day locals would walk by and comment on how well it was coming along. We were working so fast that every day you could see a difference."
Mr Curtis and colleague Todd Hutton pitched the Tanilba Bay hall as a worthy Live Your Dream project.
The donation allowed the hall to be transformed into a space that is usable for younger children and their parents.
Komatsu gave Mr Curtis and Mr Hutton two weeks off to handle the renovation.
But there was way too much work for the pair to go it alone and so they called on their trade contacts in the area to lend a hand. More than a dozen turned up with gifts of expertise and materials.
"We estimate that Scott and Todd were able to leverage between $15,000 and $20,000 extra dollars of donations and in-kind support on top of the Komatsu donation to get the work done," a Centre for Hope spokeswoman said.
"The space is a symbol of community and connection for the people living in Tanilba Bay and represents a connection to hope and support."
Natasha Reece, project manager for The Smith Family's communities for children initiative in Raymond Terrace and Karuah, said the support for the upgrade project was overwhelming.
"In all my years of running community projects, I've never seen as much support from the business sector as this," she said.
On Thursday, December 17, the Centre for Hope and The Smith Family hosted a morning tea at the hall to celebrate the completion of the refurbishment and acknowledge and show gratitude to the tradespeople who helped the project's success.
