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Mike Butler
Recently I had the awesome opportunity to chat with Floyd Priddle about the comings and goings at the celebrated Greenwich Community Centre. This is a very special place to many people in our community and there’s always something happening there to make our area brighter and better. I appreciate Floyd reaching out to me and I’m excited to share with you a little bit of what we chatted about.
An AVRCE teacher and long-time Greenwich resident, Floyd came to the Valley thirty years ago to go to Acadia and stayed put, like so many do. When he purchased a home near the hall in 1999 he immediately got involved with the Greenwich Community Centre as a committee member and he has been looking after minor maintenance issues and improvements ever since, and he gives a heck of a good tour of the building.
The Greenwich Community Centre was built a little over 100 years ago and was originally used as a Temperance Society Hall. From there it became a school. The late Ross Potter was one of the last teachers there before the first Horton High School opened in 1957. Shortly after that, it became a community centre available for anyone to rent and it was run by volunteers from the community. It currently hosts jam sessions, community coffee (on hold due to Covid), yoga, community groups, and food programs for people in need. As well, the New Minas Girl Guides and First Wolfville Scouts both meet there, and both have free use of the building. The Scouts meet Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm. For Scouting information please contact Floyd directly at floyd.priddle@ns.sympatico.ca.
The current board is made up of a president, secretary, treasurer, and several other volunteers. Kings County requires that kind of board structure for funding. The board oversees bookings, maintenance, fundraising, and the grant from Kings County makes up a small fee per household collected via property taxes. It’s a pretty well-oiled machine but there’s always room for more community involvement!
The hall has a Facebook page and an online booking system is in the works. The hall can be booked for long-term, short-term, or one-time use. It’s a great place for talks, gatherings, special events, and receptions. It has two washrooms, tables, chairs, a full kitchen, and a stage so if you have an event you wish to schedule, get in touch with this wonderful facility and let them help you make it happen. I was very impressed at how awesome the space was when I visited and the wheels were turning in my head about all the events that could be held there, like craft shows, indoor yard sales, weddings, receptions, small theatre productions, rehearsals, dance classes, and so much more. There’s oodles of parking and it’s very easy to find at 106 Greenwich Road.
Community Centers like this one in Greenwich are becoming scarce and Covid certainly didn’t help. Let’s seize the opportunity to get out there, book this hall and have a fun, safe event! Best of Luck!
For bookings and other inquiries, contact greenwichcommunitycentre@gmail.com.
Photo courtesy of Mike Butler.
