Old City Hall (Guelph)

Old City Hall is a historic building and a National Historic Site of Canada in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, which until April 2009 served as the headquarters of the city government. The building is now used as the Provincial Offences Courthouse, which handles matters such as traffic tickets, trespassing and liquor license violations.[1]

Old City Hall
Old City Hall in 2007
Former names	Guelph City Hall
Alternative names	Guelph Provincial Offences Courthouse
General information
Type	Courthouse
Address	59 Carden Street
Town or city	Guelph, Ontario
Country	Canada
Coordinates	43°32′38″N 80°14′52″W
Current tenants	Provincial Offences Court
Construction started	1856
Completed	1857
Owner	City of Guelph
Design and construction
Architect	William Thomas
National Historic Site of Canada
Official name	Guelph City Hall National Historic Site of Canada
Designated	1984
Ontario Heritage Act
Designated	1978

History

The hall was designed in the Renaissance Revival style by Toronto architect William Thomas, and constructed 1856–1857.[2] The building, which included an indoor market area, administrative offices, and a large assembly hall, was constructed from locally quarried stone.[3]

In 1984, it was designated a National Historic Site because

[I]t is an example of a multi-functional city hall; it symbolized the city's confidence in its future; and the smoothly dressed stonework and delicate carving of the exterior design provide an elegant and refined example of civic architecture in a classical style.[2][4]

The building is also designated under Part 4 of the Ontario Heritage Act.[5][6]

References

1. "New Courthouse opens in August". Insight Guelph. City of Guelph. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
2. Guelph City Hall National Historic Site of Canada. Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
3. http://www.heritagefdn.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_7528_1.html Ontario Heritage Trust Guelph City Hall 1856
4. Guelph City Hall, Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance of Canada
5. "Guelph City Hall and City Hall Annex (William Thomas, architect)". Ontario Heritage Properties Database. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
6. Guelph City Hall, Municipal Heritage Designation (Part IV). Canadian Register of Historic Places.

External links

• City of Guelph: Court Renovation and Restoration Project
• Guelph City Hall on the Canadian Register of Historic Places: National Historic Site of Canada, Ontario Heritage Act.