Morisset Memorial Hall and Literary Institute vice-president, Marion Baldwin, described the funding as “a game changer”.

The money will be used to fund scope-of-works studies to determine the extent of repairs needed to restore and re-open the hall.

The building has been closed as a safety precaution since July 2017 because of damage sustained to the ageing roof trusses.

“These grants are everything we’d hoped for,” Ms Baldwin said.

The hall received a grant of $25,000 through the Crown Reserve Improvement Fund, and $9280 through the Community War Memorials Fund.

The latter grant was delivered by the NSW Office for Veterans Affairs.

In announcing the grant, Veterans Affairs Minister, David Elliot, said the government was “ensuring that the sacrifices of NSW service men and women are honoured”.

In other news:

Ms Baldwin said it was a significant remark.

“This is an acknowledgement of the place our Morisset Memorial Hall has in the state’s war memorial heritage,” she said.

The hall was dedicated as a war memorial on November 11, 1927. Earlier this year, the hall was added to the NSW War Memorials Register.

Ms Baldwin said the Morisset Memorial Hall Trust, which owns the hall, appreciated the grants on several levels.

“We appreciate it monetarily, but it is also an acknowledgement of the Morisset Memorial Hall as a building of significance, and well worth preserving for the use of the Morisset community into the future.”

Ms Baldwin said she was now optimistic that further grants to fund the repairs would be forthcoming.

Last week, the Lakes Mail incorrectly reported that the $25,000 grant would be used to investigate “future council works” on the hall. The work will in fact be co-ordinated by the hall’s community supporters in conjunction with the Department of Lands, and not council.

Memorial Hall committee buoyant ahead of AGM

Morisset Memorial Hall ‘protected and not for sale’