Description of Historic Place

The Georgetown Public Library and Cultural Centre is located at 9 Church Street, on the south side of Church Street, north of Market Street, in Georgetown, Town of Halton Hills. The one-storey limestone church was constructed in 1877.

The property was designated, by the Town of Halton Hills, in 1979, for its heritage value, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, By-law 1979-0067.

Heritage Value

The Georgetown Public Library and Cultural Centre was originally constructed as the Congregational Church. Recessed from the main street, the church overlooked the market square. This central location was ideal for its adaptive re-use as a library and assembly hall.

The Georgetown Public Library and Cultural Centre is associated with the Methodist Church in Georgetown. In 1877, when the congregation outgrew their frame chapel, built in 1845, they decided to build a stone church. One of the men who worked on the church was congregation member, William H. Watson, a bricklayer and stonemason who had helped build other churches and offices in the community. By the early 1900s Congregational Church was experiencing a decreasing membership and therefore decided to close. The building was donated to Georgetown, for use as a public library. It opened in 1913. The church has undergone a number of renovations in order to adapt the structure for use as a library. In circa 1980, due to an increase in the population the library was temporarily relocated while the church was renovated and expanded to become the Georgetown Public Library and Cultural Centre. The new facility opened in 1981 and included a large library space and professional theatre; the stone church itself became an art gallery.

The Georgetown Public Library and Cultural Centre incorporated the “Old English” Gothic style of the original church. The building has large arched windows and doors with drip moulds, a steeply pitched gable roof, interior vaulted ceilings, 50-foot spire, and the bell tower. Built with local limestone, the church displays elaborate stonework around its openings and features seven original nine-foot stained glass windows. At the south end of the building a large 16-foot stained glass window dominates the elevation. The new addition was built onto the north-east elevation. The south elevation entrance has been bricked up leaving only the two entrances on the facade.

Sources: Town of Halton Hills By-law 1979-0067; Congregational Church-Library-Cultural Centre Article.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Georgetown Public Library and Cultural Centre include its:
- location on the corner of Market Street and Church Street
- location on the site of the first Congregational Church
- one-storey limestone exterior
- steeply pitched gable roof
- 50-foot spire and bell tower
- 16-foot stained glass window
- seven, nine-foot tall stained glass windows
- vaulted ceilings
- arched windows and doors
- drip moulds
- elaborate brickwork
- north-east elevation addition
- two facade entrances