Butte County Supervisor Tod Kimmelshue cuts the ribbon surrounded by veterans and other attendees at the Gridley Veterans Memorial Hall on March 14. Photo by Gridley Area Chamber of Commerce

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – After a $1.6-million renovation, the Gridley Veterans Memorial Hall re-opened on March 14. About 30 community members attended the ribbon cutting. 

The building had been closed for almost five years, due to safety issues, including a leaky, storm-damaged roof and exterior cracking. The hall, built in 1926, is almost 100 years old. 

“The fact that it was closed for almost five years was a real detriment to the community,” said District 4 Supervisor Tod Kimmelshue, who cut the ribbon. “There’s no other facility in this town for them to use.”

The renovation project was funded by Butte County and included replacing the entire roof. There are four veteran’s halls in the county. 

Gridley Mayor Mike Farr, a veteran, was also in attendance. He and other Gridley veterans are pictured in the Liberty Room. 

 “It’s a very patriotic community,” Farr said. “Most of these pictures are of veterans from Gridley.”

Kimmelshue said, “Butte County has a lot of veterans and Gridley has a great history of veterans in this area. We’re glad they can use this building again and we can use this building to honor them.”

U.S. Navy veteran Joe Panattoni, from Oroville, said, “Anything that has to do with veterans is special to me. I have family that has served from World War I all the way to Afghanistan. We are glad to serve the community and get the hall open again. It’s really cool.”

The Gridley Veterans Memorial Hall has been an integral part of Gridley since it opened. Besides military events, weddings, concerts and other community events have been held there.

The first gathering to be held in the newly-renovated Gridley Veterans Memorial Hall was an American Legion bingo night on March 20.