If the walls could talk, Oturehua Hall would have some rollicking good tales. 

Every year since the 1930s the Curlers Court has been held in the hall, a secret initiation ceremony for young curlers, held after a two day curling tournament on the ice.

Oturehua Hall Association member and local Ken Gillespie said he can’t reveal much more about the court and he intends to keep it that way.  

Ken said he remembers after his school years in the 70s going on the balls circuit, and the one in Oturehua was special.

“We went to all the balls, one at Hyde, Naseby, Kyeburn, Gimmerburn, Patearoa, Waipiata, Oturehua, St Bathans, Becks, Lauder… every community had a ball.”

In recent years fundraisers have netted money to go on hall maintenance and upkeep.

Ken said a debate in the local hall raised close to $10K and was supported by sponsors and farmers.

“That was just tremendous.”

He said the hall does need a “bit of a spruce up”, with the last work on the interior (painting and wallpapering) done by Faye McKnight about 30 years ago. 

This Matariki weekend the hall is hosting a Ida Valley Winter Art exhibition. 

Some of the local artwork on display

Entry is by koha (donation) and the money will go towards hall maintenance, rates, and electricity costs. 

Local lesser known artists from the Ida Valley will be exhibiting and hoping to sell works.

They are Oturehua’s Tony Stanford Shields - an oil painter with watercolor landscapes, St Bathans photographer Birgit Krippner, the Maniototo’s Debbie Moore who does pastel landscapes, Oturehua’s Martin Sullivan who is a sculptor/political statement artist and Alexandra’s ceramicist Ruth Arnott. 

The hall was holding a luncheon for the North Otago Hot Rod club on Saturday, which would boost visitor numbers and funds for the hall too.

Future plans are to reinstate the weekly cards evening in the winter months, and also badminton and table tennis again.

Ken said the art show was a family friendly exhibition, and he would be around over the weekend if people wanted to chat more about the hall history.

The hall could be booked by groups for events, to find out more people need to contact John Hellier, the Oturehua Hall Association secretary on 03 444 5808.

Built in 1906 the first Oturehua Hall was built by Ranfurly’s James Mitchell. Twenty years later the hall was moved back slightly, so a larger hall could be built in front and joined to the first building.

Close to the hall, the historic Gilchrist's store in Oturehua features nostalgia and memorabilia alongside modern day treats. PHOTO: James Jubb

Find more information on Ida Valley Winter Art Show.

Read more: Big read: Our Community Champion Ken Gillespie.

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