Old VA Clubhouse and One Next to It Demolished

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Public Health condemned the old American Samoa Veterans Association clubhouse in Tafuna and the one next to it, which had become a hang out for young people and drinkers. On Monday the two buildings were demolished.

The VA clubhouse had been leased to the American Samoa Rugby Union and the building next to it had been renovated and used at one time as a computer lab for the Veterans Association.

Later, former Governor Togiola ended the VA’s use of the building.

During the National Emergency Grant Program, a federally funded program which provided training for employees displaced in the 2009 earthquake and tsunami, a service provider awarded NEG funding used the building as a hospitality center for business class travelers on Hawaiian Air.

The travelers were treated to refreshments and a band serenaded them before they hopped on Hawaiian Air.

When the program ended the building quickly fell to a state of disrepair.

It became a hangout for young people and drinkers.

The VA clubhouse however was used for boxing and other events, it hosted a malaga from Samoa for Flag Day in one year, and was the camp site for the national rugby team Talavalu prior to off island rugby tournaments.

But on Monday the buildings were torn down.  Public Works was in charge of the demolition.

Happy Trucking trucks were seen at the site Monday and it’s not known if the private company was retained to carry out the demolition as well as the clean up.

As of yesterday most of the scrap from the buildings had been removed from the site.

When asked if there are any plans for the site, the Governor’s Office said not at this stage.

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