Most often we relive history through pictures, still photographs of people and places that are no longer with us. Rarely do we get to see and touch history and when we do it’s usually when visiting museums.
But on Saturday of this week, a grand opening will be held in Randolph which will bring history to life as the refurbished and restored Neufeld Brothers Garage, which now will be home to the Randolph Sports Club Community Centre, is officially opened. I had the opportunity to visit the facility last week and it is truly unique.
The building will now play host to meetings and events in a historic setting. Originally opened in the 1940’s by Ed and Henry Neufeld, the Neufeld Brothers Garage was always more than that. It was a community meeting place throughout its existence and once centered an area that was in its day a commercial hub. Visitors to the garage today will be able to relive in vivid detail much of that history as many spaces have been redone to resemble their original purpose and look. Original equipment is also displayed.
The restoration of the Neufeld Brothers Garage into a Community Centre is truly remarkable. It is often far easier to remove history than to repurpose it and this was truly a community effort. For months people have been coming to the centre to either donate or provide labour, material and skills at cost. Some will have had a personal connection to the garage and others simply bought into the vision that the Neufeld family has for the building.
There has been financial support from residents, businesses as well as government sources and the Rural Municipality of Hanover. It is fair to say that the restoration of this community centre was truly a community effort and it is a real life reminder of what makes the southeast region such a remarkable place to live. Congratulations to everyone who pitched in to help keep the Neufeld Brothers Garage a meeting place for the community and region. You have made something special happen.
