Stamford Township Hall - Niagara Falls, Ontario
Posted by: 
Weathervane
N 43° 05.371 W 079° 05.471
17T E 655360 N 4772524
The Old Stamford Township Hall is a two-storey civic building located at the south west corner of Ferry street and Sylvia Place, in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Waymark Code: WM162R2
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 04/22/2022
Views: 4
Description of Property - Old Stamford Township Hall, 5810 Ferry Street
The old stamford Township Hall is a two-storey civic building located at the south west corner of Ferry street and Sylvia Place. The building's eclectic Italianate appearance changed little over the years.
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest
In 1873, the stamford Township council ruled in favour of the creation and financing of a township hall. Enlisting noted architect and contractor John Latshaw. the purchase of a 100 x 156 ft. lot was made for the building's construction. The Township Hall was erected the following year in December 1874. Due to its size, the council rented out space in the building to the local community, reserving the ground floor for Township use. The basement was let to the Drummondville Fire Department which was housed there until 1913. In 'l876, the Drummondville Concert Band began using the hall's stage and auditorium for practice sessions. This began a long tradition in local entertainment, as the stage and auditorium became the setting for concerts, socials, plays, religious meetings, and even school classes.
In 1881, the neighbouring Town of Clifton changed its name to the Town of Niagara Falls. The following year, the Village of Drummondville became the Villige of Niagara Falls. During that time, the Township Council signed an agre6ment with tne Village of Niagara Falls for joint use of its premises. However, in 1904 the Town and Village of Niagara Falls amalgamated to become the city of Niagara Falls, and opted to use the old clifton Town Hall located on Queen Street at Erie Avenue for its political affairs. After unsuccessfully trying to sell the building, the stamford Township council retained ownership until 1963 when it too amalgamated with the city of Niagara Falls. In 1971 , the Lundy's Lane Historical society was given the Township Hall for use as a museum of city and Township history. A large scale restoration project was conducted in 2010 which included the addition of a two storey structure added to the building's west elevation. several aspects of the original building were restored, including its roof, windows, and masonry.
The Old Stamford Township Hall is two storeys, with a symmetrical, three bay facade. lts exterior is limestone laid with ribbon pointing. Designed with a high basement, the foundation of the building features a base string course made of larger ashlar masonry. The hip roof is high-pitched and features gable ends on thi north (front) and south (rear) fagades. lt is covered by cedar shingles, believed to'be an alteration from the building's original terne-plate roof. The roof cornice and overhanging eaves are supported by decorative brackets and are accentuated with wooden dentils. A gingerbread feature is set into each gable. Four red brick chimneys project from the east and west sides of the hipped roof. The south east chimney was rebuilt as part of the exterior restoration and renovation project in 2010. The roof vents, similar to those originally built on the structure, were replaced during 2010 renovations. Evidence of an internal gutter system was found during the restoration. lt has since been replaced with an external metal gutter attached to the eaves. on th-e north (front) facade, the central entrance is flanked by two windows. The door features a divided transom, and a semi-circular window originally containing the municipal coat of arms. The front entrance has a segmental arc composed of stone voussoirs and keystone with a date stone just above. All the windows on the north (front), east and south (rear) fagades were removed, restored and re- installed during the 2010 restoration. The first floor windows are double-huno. 4 over 4 wood sash in segmental arched openings.
See Also: (
visit link)