Spotlight falls on Alfred Evans Hall
"I want to make it a place that both the community and the municipality can be proud of, and to act as a wonderful gathering place for everyone to use."
Sea Park resident John Irven’s vision is to turn the dilapidated Alfred Evans Hall in Sea Park around.
John, a member of the Sea Park Residents’, Ratepayers’ and Business Association was the driving force behind Pollyanna’s Place, which was once the old Sea Park library.
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Pollyanna’s Place was officially opened in 2015, and today, it’s a vitally important place for people in desperate need of a temporary roof over their heads or for those seeking counselling.
Over the years John worked within the constraints of a very limited budget to transform Pollyanna’s Place, and he believes if one has a dream, anything is possible.
“We managed to transform Pollyanna’s Place from an eyesore into a fully kitted safe haven for those in need,” he said.
John’s new dream, with the support of Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, is to renovate the old Alfred Evans hall and keep it in good running order.
“In my experience, municipal manager Max Mbili and the municipality have shown themselves to be only too happy to work with their communities in joint activities for the upliftment of those communities,” he said.
“I want to make it a place that both the community and the municipality can be proud of, and to act as a wonderful gathering place for everyone to use.”
He sees the Alfred Evans Hall as the fourth pillar of the strategy to serve the community.
Pillar one being ‘caring for the community’ with Pollyanna’s Place.
Pillar two being ‘serving the community’ with the volunteer patrol vehicle by the Community Safety Organisation.
Pillar three being ‘a space for the community’ with The Village Green Park.
The hall is in very bad shape as vagrants have moved in and trashed the old building. The grass is overgrown and there is litter strewn everywhere.
But, with passion and drive, John says he sees a massive opportunity for the community to step up and help turn this into a place to be proud of.
John said at present there is no place for people in the community to meet, and this hall is ideal to hold public meetings or to hire out for community activities.
He added it could also be viewed as an employment opportunity.
“I would love to work alongside the municipal manager and the mayor to turn this place around,” said John.
Watch this space people.
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