After months of extensive upgrades, the Veterans’ Memorial Hall in Gustine reopened its doors, welcoming the community back to a newly renovated space dedicated to honoring local veterans and serving as a hub for community events.
The Hall closed down in mid-December of last year to start a rehabilitation project, primarily focused on bringing it up to the American with Disabilities Act requirements. In addition to those upgrades, there were other needed improvements, like a new air conditioning unit for the upstairs meeting room. And, like most renovation plans, unexpected problems were discovered, but fortunately nothing major.
“I know more about this building that I do my own house,” said Kris Walton, the commander of the Manuel M. Lopes American Legion Post 240.
The Hall is utilized by the American Legion post, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Joseph R Rose Post 7635 and the organizations’ auxiliaries.
Merced County assumes the major upgrades of the facility while the two posts oversee the daily operations and maintenance.
County Supervisor Lloyd Pareira was instrumental in getting the funding for the renovation project, said VFW Post 7635 Commander Mel Soares.
“Lloyd got the funding and really put the wheels in motion,” Soares said.
"As a person who is patriotic and has reverence for our veterans and the sacrifices they’ve made for the rest of us American citizens, I wanted to show them our appreciation by providing them with a beautiful space to meet, gather and celebrate," Pareira said. Pereira has a history of supporting veteran initiatives, having previously overseen the remodeling of the Winton VFW Hall and is now setting his sights on similar projects in Ballico and Delhi.
The upgrades at the Veterans’ Hall in Gustine included a wheelchair lift for the stage, a complete renovation in the men’s restroom, improvements to the women’s restroom and kitchen, the addition of storage space and some aesthetic projects like refinishing the floors and new doors.
“We finally have hot water in the men’s room,” Walton said with a laugh.
“At first we were going to put A/C in the whole hall,” Pareira said. “After much discussion, the Gustine Veterans said they would rather have the money spent differently. Their ideas made sense and we (the county staff and I) changed direction and remodeled to their plan.”
Walton said there are a couple upgrades he would like to work with the City of Gustine on, primarily placing a ramp to assist getting into the building and possibly another parking spot designated for the disabled.
The Hall is routinely rented out and used by other organizations and clubs in the community. For more information about renting the space call Katrina at (209) 769-1418.
Zachery Ramos contributed to this story.
