Historic SLO County veterans hall has been getting a makeover. What’s changed?
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- McElhenie estimates roofing, floors and paint were finished by March.
- Kitchen and foundation work await more funding at the popular venue used for decades.
- Funding included $60,000 Tourism Board, $50,000 CSD, and $70,000 added in 2025.
An important SLO County community meeting hall has been spiffed up for the summer season and beyond, thanks to a recently completed set of upgrades.
Much of the work done at the Cambria Community Services District’s Veterans Memorial Building was done inside, such as refinished flooring and fresh paint. A new roof over the kitchen and the hall capped it off, according to Matt McElhenie, the CSD’s general manager.
He estimated those chores approved by the district board in December were finished in March.
There’s more renovating to be done on the relocated World War II structure, though.
“Work on the kitchen and windows are pending additional funding,” McElhenie said by email Wednesday, and the building’s foundation also is on the drawing board.
The full-service event facility serves as a venue for trade shows, community events, governmental meetings, art exhibitions, cultural events, fundraisers, weddings and annual Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies.
This cycle of revamping at the small village’s downtown hub was funded by a $60,000 Cambria Tourism Board grant, $50,000 from CSD budgeting toward improving the hall’s condition and an additional $70,000 the district added to the pot in 2025.
The investment provided “improvements that enhance the facility’s functionality, accessibility and long-term value as a community gathering space,” the Tourism Board said Wednesday in a press release about the “cherished community landmark.”
The work done will “enhance both the functionality and aesthetic quality of the facility, ensuring it remains a welcoming, safe, and accessible space for residents and visitors alike,” according to a thank-you letter sent to the Tourism Board by Harry Farmer, CSD board president.
The hall started out as a World War II movie theater structure at Camp San Luis Obispo.
Bought by the Cambria Lions Club for $1,500 in 1949, it was hauled north in sections by truck (the $6,000 fee paid for with a loan from Corinne Kontz). The sections were placed on and reassembled at 1000 Main St. on land donated by Lucy Fiscalini.
When the building opened, it was dedicated to the community’s children, who were then the intended users of the facility.
It has since evolved into a de facto community center for all.
The recent renovations “ensure the historic facility can continue welcoming guests while honoring the service and sacrifice of local veterans,” the release said.
