604 465 4322General Store Site 12294 Harris Road Pitt Meadows, B.C.
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History of Municipal Hall
The original Pitt Meadows Municipal Hall, a single-story building, was constructed shortly after Incorporation in 1914 on land purchased from Frank V. Harris, an early Pitt Meadows settler. A recreation hall annex was added to the back of the building in the early 1920s. This original Municipal/Community Hall was destroyed by a fire that started in its kitchen area on December 17, 1930. After the fire only the building’s vault was left standing, its contents intact. As well, one office chair survived the blaze and is now housed at the Pitt Meadows Museum.
*Fun Fact about the original building: After the First World War our community received two machine guns that were mounted on top of the building one Halloween Night. Unfortunately, during the 1930 fire those guns were lost and we still have no clue what happened to them after that night. If you want to read more about that weird part of our history, check out our previous blog “Trophies of War” here.
When this hall burned in December of 1930, immediate efforts were made to replace it under the direction of Reeve Charles Cook. The structure that occupies the site today is the second municipal/community hall. His efforts aided by an enterprising council resulted in the present hall constructed in 1931, which has been used for badminton, basketball, many dances, parties and receptions, and has even proved a refuge for Miss Pitt Meadows Day festivities in inclement weather. In 1977 the building underwent significant upgrading. Up until 1948 the Pitt Meadows Women’s Institute oversaw the Hall, but they were replaced that year with a Hall Committee of which their group was a part. Today the Pitt Meadows Parks and Leisure Services Department oversees the Hall. The building is two stories where the ground floor originally held the municipal offices and a large community space occupied the second floor.
In 1972 the Municipal Offices moved further south on Harris Road into a small building on the present City Hall site. Public works functions were relocated to a site at the bottom of Harris Road, and in 2001 many of the recreation functions, including the senior’s lounge, were moved into the new Family Recreation Centre. The old Hall is still owned by the Municipality and is heavily booked for community and private functions. In the spring of 2005, to reduce confusion about the location of the new and old recreation halls, it was suggested the Old Hall be given a new name. The name chosen was the Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall, and on October 6, 2005, the Hall was dedicated in its new name.
The new location of City Hall was not without controversy, especially to Harry Cook. When his parents, Edward and Annie Louise Cook passed away, they left their property to their sons. The other brothers sold off their lots early, Harry Cook, who had the section of the property with the house, held on to his until 1976 when the municipality expropriated the property for the purpose of developing a new municipal hall site. Harry was given permission to continue to occupy the property for a few years after the expropriation, but the day finally came when he had to be removed from the site. On that day, it is said, Harry, who was in his early 80’s, sat in a chair on the beautiful wrap around porch and greeted the men from the municipality with a shot gun. No shots were taken, the municipality prevailed, and Harry Cook was moved out of the house which stood empty for some time and was eventually demolished. The beautiful lawns were replaced many years ago with a parking lot and strip mall. Today the mall is gone.
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Don’t forget, it’s almost time to vote! On October 17th, be sure to cast your vote!
October 2026.
*Fun Fact about the original building: After the First World War our community received two machine guns that were mounted on top of the building one Halloween Night. Unfortunately, during the 1930 fire those guns were lost and we still have no clue what happened to them after that night. If you want to read more about that weird part of our history, check out our previous blog “Trophies of War” here.
When this hall burned in December of 1930, immediate efforts were made to replace it under the direction of Reeve Charles Cook. The structure that occupies the site today is the second municipal/community hall. His efforts aided by an enterprising council resulted in the present hall constructed in 1931, which has been used for badminton, basketball, many dances, parties and receptions, and has even proved a refuge for Miss Pitt Meadows Day festivities in inclement weather. In 1977 the building underwent significant upgrading. Up until 1948 the Pitt Meadows Women’s Institute oversaw the Hall, but they were replaced that year with a Hall Committee of which their group was a part. Today the Pitt Meadows Parks and Leisure Services Department oversees the Hall. The building is two stories where the ground floor originally held the municipal offices and a large community space occupied the second floor.
In 1972 the Municipal Offices moved further south on Harris Road into a small building on the present City Hall site. Public works functions were relocated to a site at the bottom of Harris Road, and in 2001 many of the recreation functions, including the senior’s lounge, were moved into the new Family Recreation Centre. The old Hall is still owned by the Municipality and is heavily booked for community and private functions. In the spring of 2005, to reduce confusion about the location of the new and old recreation halls, it was suggested the Old Hall be given a new name. The name chosen was the Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall, and on October 6, 2005, the Hall was dedicated in its new name.
The new location of City Hall was not without controversy, especially to Harry Cook. When his parents, Edward and Annie Louise Cook passed away, they left their property to their sons. The other brothers sold off their lots early, Harry Cook, who had the section of the property with the house, held on to his until 1976 when the municipality expropriated the property for the purpose of developing a new municipal hall site. Harry was given permission to continue to occupy the property for a few years after the expropriation, but the day finally came when he had to be removed from the site. On that day, it is said, Harry, who was in his early 80’s, sat in a chair on the beautiful wrap around porch and greeted the men from the municipality with a shot gun. No shots were taken, the municipality prevailed, and Harry Cook was moved out of the house which stood empty for some time and was eventually demolished. The beautiful lawns were replaced many years ago with a parking lot and strip mall. Today the mall is gone.
****
Don’t forget, it’s almost time to vote! On October 17th, be sure to cast your vote!
October 2026.
