WCA Roof Fundraiser
The Board of Directors of the Walhalla Civic Auditorium has started a fundraising campaign for roof repairs to its more than 100-year-old building. Walhalla Civic Auditorium executive director Bill Chisano gives details. “It is the 100th anniversary of the building of the Auditorium, so the roof is 100-years-old. Now it is not falling apart but whenever it rains, you almost have to walk on one side of the Auditorium with an umbrella it leaks so badly. It is something that if we don’t fix it is only going to get worse and do some structural damage to the inside of the Auditorium.” There are actually two roofs that need immediate repairs, adds Chisano. “We have several roofs in the complex, there is another roof that leaks pretty badly in the back, so we are going to do those two first and you are looking at about $25,000 approximately to do that and do it right, so we don’t have to fiddle with it anymore and the roof is without leaks.” The roof work will consist of repairs to existing leaks, installing new drains, scrapping off old coating and installing Hydro Stop foundation coating to avoid future leaks. The cost for this work on all four buildings in the Walhalla Civic Auditorium complex is $90,000. As moneys are received the work will be completed in stages, explains Chisano. “We started back in the fall a campaign and like anything else it starts pretty slow. I am writing some grants to try to get some money to help and we are going to be talking to the county and the city about helping as well. A lot of the money is going to be coming from individual donations and we have several thousand dollars in the fund already. People have been generous with us, but we are still along way from starting work on the roof. We have dedicated this year to try to get as much as we can through grants and donations to get started on the roof. We hope to be able to get to the most serious leaks by the middle of this spring.” As a non-profit volunteer based organization, the Walhalla Civic Auditorium relies on the generosity of the local community for financial support. To donate to the Roof Repair Fund, call the Walhalla Civic Auditorium at (864) 638-5277.