36 FOCUS - MAY 2017 This year the Greenbank Hall and Park Board is cel- ebrating 150 years of community service at a building that was originally the St. Agnes Anglican Church built in 1867. The church was built on land donated by John Ianson and he also provided the lumber and some money for the construction. The church is a combination of English and French Gothic in nature with pointed lancet windows and diamond shaped glass sections. The stain glass colours are dark red, purple, and green with ro- settes and golden fleur-de-lis typical of French style. In 1920 William Phoenix purchased the building so it could be used as a community hall. The price was $250 and one of the conditions was that the belfry and bell tower be given to the Anglican Church in Port Perry. Hydro was installed in 1935 and for a while you could rent the hall for two dollars. In 1966 the hall was turned over to the Township of Reach so that an application could be submitted for a Centennial Project. In 1967 the community and township worked together to add a basement, washrooms, a kitchen and furnace room as well as a hardware floor and stairways. Now the hall is still run by dedicated local volunteer committees and is owned by the Township of Scugog, which provides annual funding for capital and opera- tional expenses. Several provincial and federal grants have been ob- tained to create suitable parking and the hall has been upgraded to current fire and building codes. A wheelchair accessible washroom and elevator were installed in 2005 so that the site is acceptable as a polling station and training venue for election officials. Currently the entire board and batten frame has been restored and painted and a major addition will be com- pleted to expand the kitchen this year. The final result is a functional community resource, which celebrates by its sustainability the heritage of our community and country. From left: Rodd Foster, member of the Hall/Park Board since 1950, Councillor Betty Somerville and Larry Doble, Hall Director, cutting the celebratory cake.