ORANGE councillor Jeff Whitton says holding tonight’s council meeting in the former town hall is a great way to commemorate those who served Australia during World War I.
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Cr Whitton said tonight Orange councillors would meet in the same room councillors met 100 years ago when Australia was at war.
“It’s a great honour that the existing council can meet where our forefathers would have been 100 years ago,” he said.
“The room has been restored to its original condition, even the colours and the frieze around the room.”
Cr Whitton said his great grandfather served in World War I and his grandfather in World War II, so he was keen to remember these important events in Australia’s history.
The former town hall is now occupied by training and education services provider OCTEC, which has undertaken a painstaking restoration of the building.
OCTEC chief executive officer Andrew McDougall said holding the meeting in the old town hall was not only a fitting commemoration of Australia’s war effort, but also a good way of showcasing the impressive restoration work, which began in 2013.
“It looks stunning,” he said.
“A lot of money has been spent on a serious attempt to bring it back to what it was in 1910.”
Following tonight’s council meeting, a commemorative dinner, based on a menu from the 1920s, will be held in the adjacent Returned Services League hall.
tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au