Colo Vale Community Centre and War Memorial

On 10 March 1939 land in Railway Street Colo Vale was allocated for the purpose of building a community hall. Plans, dated 25 July 1939, were drawn up and were used when work commenced in 1952. The building was completed in 1961. In October 2000, the hall now known as the Community Centre was dedicated as a memorial “to those who served in the defence of our country.”

In 2014-2015 a memorial was established in the front garden of the Centre. It was officially opened and dedicated on 18 April 2015 and the Centre was rededicated at the same time. Built specifically to coincide with the 100-year Anzac commemoration, the memorial was made possible by numerous community members and groups offering donations and volunteering their time and labour. The memorial consists of two semi-circular walls constructed of sandstone blocks with a paved walkway through the middle leading to the Centre. Two flagpoles stand beside the centre's entrance. Mounted on the top of the left-hand side of the wall are the insignias of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force. On the top of the right-hand side are the words ‘Lest We Forget.’ The insignias and lettering are in bronze.

Inset into the walkway are numerous pavers inscribed in honour of Colo Vale locals who served in the First and Second World Wars and the Vietnam War. There are 56 people who have been identified, the majority of whom were in the Army in the First and Second World Wars. However also included are three locals who served in the Air Force, two from the Navy, one woman from the Australian Women's Army Service and two servicemen who served in Vietnam. Each paver is inscribed with the veteran's name, unit numbers and theatre of war service.

Notes on veterans' names:

• No records can be identified on the National Archives of Australia website or on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial for RS Stanton killed in action (KIA) 2/17^th Battalion in the Second World War.
• It appears Lance Corporal Neville Bruce Hanna service number NX60579 from the Second World War has been inadvertently missed from the listing. Further research is required.