HALL RENOVATION -

HALL RENOVATION - 1990

The Melrose Community Hall has always been the "HEART" of our town. It was built in l938 after our mighty Melrose Shamrock Basketball team WON the Iowa Boy's State tournament in l937...a time when all size schools competed against one another
(no class A, AA, etc -one overall state championship title).

When the team came home with the big trophy, the city decided they deserved to practice in a nice hall, rather than the old Opera House -- so the community hall was built.

The old Opera House

The community hall is a multi-use facility, a gymnasium, library, physic al fitness center, election polling center, stage, and community meeting site. It is the site for reunions, wedding & anniversary receptions, and more. It isall things to Melrose.

Our beloved community hall was already in serious need of serious repairs when a CRISIS STRUCK! High winds & torrential rains hit and severely damaged the roof. Water poured in and we were in danger of losing this vital building.

It was obvious that this crises & project was bigger than Melrose alone. So, following a rainy weekend, RoseA Vestal, Secretary of Betterment vowed to get help and not stop until help was obtained. And on Monday morning, July 30, l990, RoseA got on the phone and called Congressman Harkin, Leach, Grassley, John Pyle FmHA, Chuck McCarty of Chariton Valley Rural Community Development, Iowa Legislatures, the Governor of Iowa and others.

By noon, application was written for an "Imminent Threat Grant" through the Iowa Economic Development. An emergency city council meeting was called to approve and submit the application.

On August 9 l990, a joint announcement was made by Senator Charles Grassley and Representative Jim Leach that Melrose was awarded a $54,000 Imminent Threat Grant from the IEED and a $50,000 twenty year loan from FmHA at 6% interest.

OUR PRAYERS HAD BEEN ANSWERED!!