The Green Room at the Waterford Old Town Hall.
By Brenda Moser
Advocate Correspondent
In 1902 the Waterford and Townsend Township Town Hall was built and it has been a cornerstone of our community ever since.
It served as a hub for community life for over a century. It originally served as the administrative centre for the Township of Townsend and it soon became the heart of many local gatherings, concerts and community events.
As happens in many towns and communities, government restructuring in the late 20th century left the future of the building up in the air and undecided. The historic gathering and meeting place needed a lot of restoration work and local government officials made the decision to put the hall up for sale. What would become of the building that served the Waterford and area community for decades?
A group of local residents saw the historic value in keeping the building alive and flourishing, so in 1999, the Waterford Organization for the Restration of the Town Hall was formed. In 2000 they purchased the property for $2. The group later became known as the Old Town Hall Association (OTHA). Their mission was to save the historic building and enhance the community and cultural lives by providing a diverse range of activities and a venue for community events in the restored building. After about five years of hard work and dedicated restoration they were able to open the Waterford Old Town Hall doors to the public as a vibrant cultural hub for all the community to enjoy.
In 2000 the building was designated ‘a property of architectural and/or historic value’ under the Ontario Heritage Act. Fundraising and grant writing were undertaken and the renovations needed were started. Renovation costs were $333,000. A vast number of volunteer hours helped to alleviate some of the costs incurred to bring the building up to the standards of the Ontario Heritage Act.
Thanks to the many volunteers involved it has become a thriving arts and entertainment centre. When you step into the hall you will feel like you have stepped back in time to the early 1900s with much of the original hall lovingly restored whenever possible. The official opening of the renovated hall took place in November 2005 with over 300 people in attendance. In 2008 an elevator was installed to make all levels of the town hall accessible to everyone.
From 2009 until the present, several large building maintenance projects have been completed including replacement of roof tiles, reconstruction of one chimney, replacement of one of the three heating units, a concrete porch floor replacement, some window replacements and masonry repairs.
Local artists are able to feature their work in the gallery and you can browse at your leisure. If you see a piece or picture that catches your eye and would like to purchase it, you will find that most, if not all, are for sale. The staff would be happy to help you out with that.
The upper hall, or auditorium, can seat 180 people and has a fully functional stage. It can be used for theatrical productions, concerts, community events… any number of things. It is available, as well, for rentals and offers a very unique and historic space for private events, meetings… any kind of celebration.
The hall is also known for its weekly events, from Seniors cards each Wednesday afternoon to dance classes, yoga, artist workshops and Town Hall Kids. Are you looking for a good book to read? It just so happens that Old Town Hall also houses a Book Store with a huge selection of gently used books for sale. Monies raised help with the cost of upkeep of the hall. The book store is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Take some time to browse the store - the selection is huge.
The OTH Gallery is open Tuesday to Friday from 12-4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The volunteer on staff will be more than happy to help you. You can also check them out on Facebook at Old Town Hall (Waterford, Ontario, Canada), on their website at www.oldtownhall.org or email at otha@oldtownhall.org or you can follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
It is always satisfying when we can repair and preserve an important part of local history and Old Town Hall is standing proof of that! It shows us just what we can accomplish when we come together for a like cause. Stop by for a visit!
Comments