The board of directors of the Murrayville Hall are passing on condolences to residents of Langley who have lost loved ones during COVID-19 and have been unable to celebrate their lives.
Board member Randall Bowcott said they have decided to offer up the space to help people who may not have been able to hold a service during pandemic restrictions.
“We would like to reach out to those impacted so greatly by offering the use of Murrayville Hall to hold your celebrations of life [or] memorial services for your loved ones by forgoing the usual rental cost of $300 – replacing it with a donation of your choice and ability,” Bowcott said.
People can now book the hall for free for funeral-related services and donate any amount they choose to any charity they wish in lieu of a fee.
The maximum number of people that the hall holds is normally 200 people, but gathering restrictions prohibiting 50 people or more would still be in effect.
“Everything must be socially distanced,” Bowcott assured.
The Murrayville Community Hall is important for its historic and cultural values. Built in 1928 by volunteers, it replaced the original community hall that burned down in 1924.
Amenities include 20 round tables, 24 rectangular tables, 130 wooden chairs, and 60 upholstered chairs, plus two four burner gas stoves with ovens.
The refundable damage deposit would still apply for facility rentals.
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“We are offering this opportunity Monday through Thursday from July 14 to October 29, 2020,” said Bowcott, though he noted that the board will be strictly following the rules outlined by Dr. Bonnie Henry.
“We’re flying by the seat of our pants here and anything can change,” he said. “While we’d like to give people a guarantee, we can’t make any promises because of COVID-19.”
People can contact hall manager Trevor Broad at 604 506-8729 to participate or require further information or visit http://murrayvillehall.ca.
Murrayville Hall is located at 21667 48 Ave.
“The Murrayville Hall board of directors hopes that this will bring some comfort to our community during these difficult times,” Bowcott said.
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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