Burlingame Lions Club back in business

The Lion’s Club Hall in Burlingame has been restored after a eucalyptus tree fell on its roof in January and caused significant damage.

A tree that was more than 60 feet tall fell on the building and damaged the roof, walls and floors of the foyer. Jack Van Etten, Lions Club member and former Burlingame police chief, said the night of the incident there was a lot of water that leaked through the building.

“We had big 50-gallon cans set up filled with water,” Van Etten said.

The biggest issue with the club being closed was that it was unable to rent the hall for events, which resulted in a loss of revenue. The club uses that revenue to contribute to the community, he said. Now that the hall is back in business, the club is hosting a lunch and ribbon cutting event which will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 26. The event will include a brief history of the building and the work that was done to repair the damage.

Overall, it cost around $100,000 to fix all the damage, Van Etten said. Repairing the building meant structural engineers needed to ensure it didn’t shift. The Lions Club was unable to meet during the process.

“We had to hibernate for the winter,” Van Etten said.

Luckily, the club’s insurance covered the damage and the loss of revenue, because dozens of parties reached out over spring to rent out the hall.

The 116-year-old building has a storied history, according to club records. Built in 1907, the hall was used by the First Congregational Church as a chapel. However, the church only lasted two years and the building was then occupied by the Woman’s Club of Burlingame. By 1912, the city purchased the building for $3,000 and converted the space into a library.

The head librarian, Mary Gervais, was also the president of the Women’s Club. Sometime after the 1930s, the building became home to the American Legion Post No. 163, that moved the building to where it is today, in Washington Park. The city leased it to the veterans for $1 a year, under the condition they maintain the building. By the ’70s, the city required the building be upgraded to be safer for public use. The amount was too much for the Legion to afford, so it vacated it and the Burlingame’s Lions Club took over the lease under the stipulation it would bring the building up to code. The new hall was opened by 1980, renovating it cost the club $60,000.

The hall costs around $1,300 to rent with a security deposit. It includes a speaker system, full kitchen and two restrooms. It has a 120-person capacity.

Event Coordinator Leonard Ma said the goal for the hall was to offer it at an affordable price as a service to the community who needs the space.

The Lions Club is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting the community in different capacities.

“All our money goes back into helping the schools and things like that,” Ma said. “So, we are always looking for new projects to give back.”

Van Etten said the club has around 40 members and it is always looking for more members.

Call (650) 344-5466 for more information on ways to join, donate or rent the hall.