Description of Historic Place

The Pitt Meadows Municipal Hall is a large, symmetrical, two-storey building with a distinctive parapet and central entrance. Located on Harris Road, the historic commercial centre of Pitt Meadows, this building is adjacent to a grouping of the District of Pitt Meadows' most significant heritage sites.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Pitt Meadows Municipal Hall is associated with the early twentieth century development of the original town centre of Pitt Meadows. The built form of the area dates from the time when Pitt Meadows was developing rapidly as an agricultural town and Harris Road was its commercial, administrative and community centre. This building is a landmark component of the Harris Road historic grouping, and was historically the largest and most prominent structure on Harris Road, Pitt Meadows' major north-south street. It was built at a time when direct road access was being provided through the area by the construction of the Lougheed Highway, a Depression era make-work project. The scale and prominence of the Hall demonstrates confidence in the future of Pitt Meadows, and the strength of the local economy at the time.

Built in 1931, the Pitt Meadows Municipal Hall is significant as a reflection of the growth and development of the community, as indicated in their need for such a large building for municipal and community affairs. It housed the municipal offices on the ground floor and a large community hall on the second floor, which had a separate entrance from the rear. This building was the second municipal/community hall, replacing the one-storey 1914 structure that was destroyed by fire late in 1930.

The building remains significant for its continuing role as an integral part of community life. The Women's Institute was in charge of the hall until 1948, when a Hall Committee was established. Prior to the arrival of water mains in Pitt Meadows in 1948, a community water pump was located on the front lawn. The municipal offices moved to a new location in the early 1970s, and this building underwent significant upgrading in 1977. Today the Ridge Meadows Parks and Leisure Services Department oversees the hall, and it continues to serve an active community role.

Source: Department of Development Services, District of Pitt Meadows

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Pitt Meadows Municipal Hall include its:
- prominent location on Harris Road
- institutional form, scale and massing, as expressed by its two-storey height, symmetrical rectangular plan and flat roof with raised, decorative front parapet
- central front entrance with sidelights; projecting parapet cornice at front with large dentil blocks; corner pilasters with rounded caps, cornices and dentil blocks; and rear second storey entrance
- regular, symmetrical fenestration
- original interior elements that include a meeting hall on the second storey with a raised stage and maple floors