"Over time, La Sala has become a building without a clear long-term purpose, a funded repair plan, or an active capital investment strategy." That sentence comes from a July 8 staff report by Moraga Public Works Director Nate Levine and Parks and Recreation Director Mackenzie Brady. A month later, the Town Council voted to start planning La Sala's demolition.
On Friday, October 30, families will fill Hacienda de las Flores for the Town's free Halloween night. The listings put the event at the Hacienda and the Casita, the smaller building on the property, with an outdoor movie to close the night. La Sala won't be part of it. It has been closed since spring, and this year's Halloween setup is the same one the Town has been using since then. Anyone who comes on the 30th will get a good look at how the Hacienda works with one less building.
What's planned for October 30
The Town calls the evening a "not so haunted" Hacienda, so it's meant for little kids, not a fright night. Here's how the evening runs, based on the published listings:
- 5:00 p.m. The grounds open at Hacienda de las Flores, 2100 Donald Drive. Admission is free.
- Early evening. There's a costume contest, pumpkin painting and trunk-or-treating.
- 6:30 p.m. Movies Under the Stars shows "Freaky Friday," the 2003 comedy with Lindsay Lohan. Bring blankets and lawn chairs.
- 8:30 p.m. The event ends.
The listings don't all agree. The San Francisco Chronicle's fall roundup of outdoor movies and 510 Families both put the movie at 6:30. The Moraga Citizens Network says the movie "immediately follows" the 5:00 to 8:30 event. The 510 Families listing also uses the title "Creepy Commons," though it gives the Hacienda as the location. The contact numbers listed are 925-888-7045 and 925-888-7050. None of the listings say anything about registration. If you're bringing a group or entering the costume contest, call Moraga Parks and Recreation first.
The building that won't be part of it
Hacienda de las Flores went up in 1916. La Sala was added in 1977. The main building has held up with occasional repairs. La Sala hasn't. An inspection in April 2026 found water damage and related environmental problems, based on visual checks, moisture readings, and air and surface samples. The building has been closed ever since.
Levine gave the council a range of options. Lamorinda Weekly's August 12 report listed them with these cost estimates:
| Option | What it covers | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Limited repair and reopening | Only the most urgent water damage and cleanup | $50,000 to $100,000 |
| Basic repair and stabilization | Cleanup, roof repair or replacement, basic foundation work | $350,000 to $400,000 |
| Enhanced repair and stabilization | More foundation work, roof, cleanup, secondary damage, utility repairs | $750,000 to $800,000 |
| Full repair and improvement | All of the above, plus the creek bank next to the building, which could keep sliding | More than $1 million |
| Demolition | Removal, hazardous materials, utility capping, site stabilization, contingency | $150,000 to $250,000 |
The cheapest option would reopen the building, but it wouldn't fix the deeper problems. Staff said even a basic reopening "would also not address longer-term structural and site concerns" unless the Town paid for a bigger project. Demolition costs less than every repair option except that partial fix. The idea isn't new, either. A 2016 feasibility study by an outside contractor recommended removing La Sala and turning the space into a drop-off courtyard and patio.
Council Members Lisa Maglio and Graham Thiel and Vice Mayor Brian Dolan voted for demolition. Council Member Steve Woehleke voted against it. Mayor Kerry Hillis recused himself because he lives near the Hacienda.
How the Hacienda has run without it
Over the years, La Sala served as a meeting room, storage space and recreation building. When it closed, Parks and Recreation didn't cancel its programs. Recreation Supervisor Jasmine Bateson told the council that La Sala activities had moved to the Casita and the Moraga Library Community Room. Staff also set up an outdoor classroom with the picnic tables under the trees in the southeast corner of the Hacienda grounds.
The Halloween night uses that same setup. The Casita and the outdoor grounds will be busy on the 30th, and that's where recreation programs have been running since La Sala closed.
One program didn't move. La Sala's kitchen hosted cooking classes, and those haven't gone to the Hacienda's kitchen because it's a catering kitchen. Bateson said that move is "something that could be looked into." If your family took cooking classes there, that's the gap to ask the Town about.
What happens to the site, and when
The council vote started the process. It didn't set a date. Staff are now preparing demolition plans, specifications and bid documents. As of October 3, 2026, the Town's online bid board showed no open bids. We haven't found any published contractor, demolition date or fencing plan, so La Sala will likely still be standing, and still closed, on Halloween night.
Levine was cautious about the timing in August. "Assuming things move forward, the goal is to demo the building before the rainy season, but there is coordination with Wedgewood and others, so I cannot say definitively that it will happen." He also said the Town doesn't expect "a significant impact to parking when work does occur, meaning parking will still be available for events."
Wedgewood Weddings provides event management services at the Hacienda and uses the site for weddings and special occasions. Staff plan to coordinate with Wedgewood on what replaces the building. Levine said the near-term plan is "some sort of outdoor/landscaping improvement (decorative in nature)," depending partly on Wedgewood. Staff also plan to look at salvaging or recycling materials where they can, especially the roof tiles.
The bigger question goes to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update, which Levine said will consider the site's longer-term options. A June 2026 staff report laid out the schedule. Draft recommendations were due in July and August, followed by a joint study session of the council and the Parks and Recreation Commission on September 9. A draft plan goes to the commission in October or November, with adoption expected around November 18. If you have ideas for that part of the Hacienda, the draft presentation is the time to bring them.
The rest of Moraga's October
The Moraga Library Community Room, one of the rooms now hosting former La Sala programs, has a kids' Halloween activity of its own this month. The "Goblin's Grocery List Hidden Image Search" runs on Tuesdays, October 6, 13, 20 and 27. Kids look for ingredients hidden around the children's section, and a completed checklist earns a prize. The library lists it for preschoolers through tweens, and the branch is open noon to 8 p.m. on those days.
At the Rheem Theatre, Jhamtse International is screening the documentary "Loving Karma" for one day only, Sunday, October 18. The screening runs from 3 to 5 p.m. and includes a Q&A. Tickets are $20. We haven't seen a Halloween or classic horror screening announced at the Rheem this year. Check the theater's schedule closer to the end of the month.
The Moraga Farmers' Market runs every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Moraga Road and Moraga Way in Moraga Center, with more than 40 farmers and vendors. The organizer's site mentions a Halloween Harvest Festival and Costume Parade but hasn't posted a 2026 date. The parade and pumpkin activities still online are from the October 26, 2025 market, so don't plan around them until a 2026 date appears.
On October 30, the Hacienda gates open at 5:00 p.m. Bring blankets, chairs and costumes, and plan on the Casita and the outdoor grounds, not La Sala.
At Holman Stone Real Estate, we follow Town decisions like the La Sala vote because they shape the places our neighbors use every week. If you have questions about how changes at Hacienda de las Flores could affect your part of Moraga, or you'd like a current read on your home's value, request a free home valuation and we'll take you through it.
