Municipality deems century-old hall renovation too costly

Eyjafjarðarsveit municipality considers extensive renovations to the old Þinghúsið assembly and community hall in Hrafnagil unjustifiable under current conditions, mbl.is reports.

The decision follows a condition assessment by engineering firm EFLA, which found that the building requires significant maintenance and renovation.

The municipal council said extensive and costly work would be needed to bring the building into an acceptable condition. It does not consider such renovations justifiable based on the current circumstances.

Future use of the site to be examined

Instead, the council plans to consider the future use of the site and has approved a public ideas forum on its development. The aim is to gather well-developed and realistic proposals for the site’s future use and construction.

The planning committee has been tasked with preparing the forum, which will be held with residents. It is expected to take place this winter.

The old Þinghúsið in Hrafnagil was built in 1924 and formally opened in March 1925 as the assembly and community hall of Hrafnagil district. Municipal council meetings, dances, theatre performances and other gatherings were held there.

After Laugarborg took over as the district’s community centre in 1959, Þinghúsið was used for schooling for about four decades. A preschool operated in the building from 1998 and remained there for several years.