St. Therese Hall

St Therese Hall Whakatu was built in 1951 from a design drafted by Hawkes Bay Architect John Scott. It's origins are based on the Catholic families of Whakatu who raised money and erected a building to hold Sunday Mass. Father Durney who serviced the community in Pakipaki and the surrounding area was asked to use the building for Sunday Mass and as he could not own anything the building was gifted to the Catholic church from those families and welcomed by the communites living in Whakatu. The name given for the building was St Therese's Church of Whakatu and was well used by the community for over thirty years.

In 2004 the Catholic Church ceased to hold Sunday Mass on the site. The St Therese Hall Whakatu Trust was formed by decendants of some of the original families who raised funds in 1951 and have been the guardians of the land and building whilst negotiating with the Catholic Church to have it placed back into the ownership of the Trust.

In September 2012 the St Therese Hall Whakatu Trust and the Catholic Church held a community gathering to finalise the return of the property . The Building was deconsecrated and the Trust is now in a position to upgrade and modernise the facilities on the property for future communities to be used as a place of gathering, education, wholistic health, native plant awareness activities, social, recreational activities, community fund raising activities, religious activities and hall hire.

In 2015 refurbishments and upgrading began which came from corporate and community funding agencies and is ongoing.