Locals give hall ‘facelift’ for this rental season

By Matthew Johnson

Reporter

Efforts to “Save the Hall!” continue in Wolf Lake as locals gathered over the weekend to give it a “facelift” in preparation for this rental season. 

The Wolf Lake Community Hall, which was known for an extended period of time as the Wolf Lake Lions Community Hall, has been a meeting place for many local events over several decades. Now back under city ownership since November of 2022, the Wolf Lake City Council has formed a “Save the Hall!” subcommittee and efforts to update the facility and keep the doors open have been ongoing since last summer. A group of about 15 to 20 individuals showed up during the fishing opener on Saturday, May 10, to make some hands-on improvements after a brief discussion about keeping the hall open for community events and for private groups to rent for birthday parties, weddings, receptions, etc.  

“You guys are here today because this community center/town hall means something to you guys,” said Heidi Moen, Frazee-Vergas and Wolf Lake community grant coordinator who has been working with the subcommittee. “That’s why we’re here getting dirty, getting sweaty.”

Moen was at the first community meeting last July to help the city jumpstart these efforts. The council was pleased to see close to 35 people in attendance at the initial “Save the Hall!” meeting last year. Previous to that meeting the council was discussing the possibility of selling the hall due in large measure to the significant overall costs associated with the utilities and ongoing maintenance needs.

“We’ve been looking at options; how to make this more viable so that it can be a stand alone,” Moen said. “It can be used for weddings. It can be used for fun things. Maybe it can be used on a Friday night for younger/older couples to all come together like they once did in this hall for it to be used, and for it to be efficient.”

The mission, she said, is to keep the hall separate, a stand-alone independent entity from the municipal liquor store next door. The city has been working on a process to sell the liquor store. 

“And you guys decide as a community, not me, if that (keeping the hall separate from the liquor store) is going to be sustainable.”

She discussed the need for added awareness concerning the hall and how it can be the type of community asset in Wolf Lake again that promotes a better community.

“It means less crime, less drug use; your students and your families stay together more when you have more community involvement,” said Moen.

She said there does not need to be a multi-million-dollar project in order for the hall to be adequately maintained for use by the community and private parties on a regular basis.

“Even if it’s a facelift, to make it more attainable so you can start promoting your town hall/community hall so that people want to come here,” she said. “You guys have a campground, like right out the back door. How nice would that be if someone was coming for a family reunion and they were all staying in the campground and they could come and rent this (hall) for the weekend? It could make money to be sustainable, but also they wouldn’t have to leave your community when they come here.”

She referred back to the initial meeting last year as to how people planned to partner with other people they knew who could help with specific aspects of this overall “Save the Hall!” initiative. 

“And those partnerships do not have to be financial contributions. In-kind time and volunteers or even materials; you know you have a contractor that maybe has some paint or has some extra sheetrock.”

She mentioned how, through community networking, people were made aware of an open-air situation at the hall where heat was escaping in the winter and it was quickly resolved.

“That again was an in-kind thing,” said Moen. “Someone knew someone; they came and checked it and we got that fixed right away. So, that’s what small towns do and that’s how they survive and that’s why they stay here.”

Efforts have been under way to possibly partner with a 501(c)(3) entity that could possibly open the door to a grant opportunity, as well.

Moen continued with more words of encouragement before people got to work on the lists of tasks needed to give the facility a “facelift” for this rental season. 

“Every single one of you guys matter and your community matters, and that’s why we’re here,” she said.

Moen brought cookies and refreshments for the meeting and sub sandwiches for lunch, noting that nobody should go home hungry.

It was also noted that another reason giving the hall a facelift now for this rental season could be advantageous since other area community centers are booked through the rest of the year and into next year.

To rent the hall this season call city hall at (218) 538-6528.