Harberton Parish Hall - 1995/1996 Construction Gallery

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The first turf was cut at the beginning of October 1995. During the first week, a large hole was dug for the Hall and then the banks were graded. On 18 October the first Hall-related materials arrived on site - the reinforced concrete retaining wall pieces for the entrance driveway, and these were set into place on 21 October.

After heavy rain, on 25 October the "swimming pool" appeared. Land drains fed into a soakaway located in the new pedestrian entrance which was specially widened to allow vehicular access to lorries. After the car park banks had been formed, on 6 November the massive soakaway designed to deal with rainwater from the hall roof was filled with stone. Shortly afterwards steel erection commenced.

By 6 December the main steelwork was complete, ready for the roof. As the roof progressed, the grass wore ever thinner on the temporary football pitch behind the old Club. On 4 January 1996 the roofers were applying the cladding over the acoustic ceiling and insulation.

On 17 January the floor slab was laid. By 3 February the cavity walls with hard outer blocks and soft white inner blocks were rising higher. 13 February, and construction of the kitchen, meeting room, storeroom etc. were well underway.

Walls and upstairs accommodation practically completed now. Then by April, the timber cladding was nearly finished, the porch (sideless and doorless initially) had been added, and the pedestrian entrance had been narrowed and angled to minimise the visual impact of the new building on the residents opposite. Early May and the flooring contractors are at work; also, work has started on the larch-pole pedestrian entrance arch.