New roof proposed for building where many people gathered 100 years ago in Mississauga

A small, unassuming community hall in Mississauga’s west end where people would gather in the early 20th century for social occasions and to conduct political business of the day is in line for several major upgrades.

Plans to restore the historically important Erindale Community Hall include, among other work, the installation of new main-floor windows and a new roof to top the structure, which is situated on the south side of Dundas Street West steps east of Mississauga Road.

The hall’s quiet appearance blends in with the area, with Erindale Park and the banks of the Credit River just across the street.

Still, the small building speaks loudly to a local Erindale Village history that in the early 1900s placed a great importance on a sense of community and of people coming together for various occasions, social and otherwise.

Erindale Community Hall, circa 1928. (Photo: City of Mississauga)

Erindale Community Hall hasn’t grown much in size — if at all — since it was built in October 1928.

Now, nearly 100 years later, the City of Mississauga’s heritage advisory committee is poised to approve recommended work that includes:

• Restoring of masonry, wood soffits, exposed rafter tails and original basement windows.
• Installing casement aluminum-clad wood windows where replacements exist.
• Installing a new roof.
• Installing new accessible pedestrian walkways, repaving and updating the parking lot.
• Installing two tilt-up manual lift gates to limit vehicle access.

The recommendations, contained in a report from the city’s commissioner of planning and building Andrew Whittemore, will be considered by members of the heritage advisory committee when they meet next Tuesday.

“The project includes restoration of the building as well as the installation of new main-floor windows that are more in keeping with the character of the edifice,” Whittemore stated in the report, adding the recommended changes “would have a positive impact on the use of the facility and do not negatively impact its character.”

He added the proposed upgrades would also make the property more accessible.

The multi-year project, if approved, would cost the city $1.43 million, according to the report.

A big part of Mississauga’s history

Though Erindale Community Hall may be small, it’s a big — and illuminating — part of Mississauga’s history.

In the early part of the last century, and for decades beyond that time, the hall was constantly alive with the sounds and presence of people who’d gather for an array of social events, political sessions and other various public meetings.

On a grander scale, the building gives a nod to a time in Mississauga’s history, pre-amalgamation in 1974, when community halls dotted a landscape filled with many villages that would eventually comprise what is today Canada’s seventh-largest city.

“In Mississauga, community halls are a relic of pre-amalgamation. They yield information about the ‘village’ culture that existed before Mississauga became a city,” City of Mississauga officials noted earlier in describing Erindale Community Hall. “Community halls remind us that Mississauga is a collection of smaller communities.

“Moreover, they are reminiscent of Mississauga’s rural roots, before the postwar building boom,” the city’s description continued. “Specifically, they recall a time when community halls were essential to village culture. At the hall’s opening, Lieutenant Governor W.D. Ross praised the fundraising efforts of the Women’s Institute, saying that ‘they could not overestimate the value of the work done by them to make life less lonely and to bring men and women in closer fellowship.’ The hall is a testament to the importance with which the early 20th century esteemed the notion of community.”

Designated under the Heritage Act

Mississauga officials have long noted the historical significance of the building, which owns a historical designation under the Ontario Heritage Act.

“Erindale Hall has been bringing our community together since 1928. From suppers and weddings, it’s been a hub for connection and celebration,” city officials said earlier. “Still in use today, it’s a lasting symbol of Mississauga’s village roots and sense of community.”

Erindale Community Hall officially opened in October 1928 and immediately attracted people from as far away as Toronto, city officials say. Specifically, the visitors came for the annual St. Peter’s November Fowl suppers of the day.

Additionally, the local Now and Then Club and the Women’s Institute met there, as well as other local groups including Girl Guides and Boy Scouts, Mississauga officials note.

A large room inside Erindale Community Hall as it appears present day. (Photo: City of Mississauga)

“The hall hosted many weddings and showers. In 1946, Toronto Township Board of Education operated the hall as a classroom beginning in September 1946 through 1947 to teach classes 1 and 2 of Springfield School,” the city said, referencing the elementary school that today is located just to the east on The Credit Woodlands.

Use of the hall increased during the 1950s, officials say, with events taking place there that included teen town dances, dance lessons, weddings, church services, meetings of young church-goers, polling stations, local meetings, recitals and talent shows.

Many emerging churches over the decades have used the hall as a temporary house of worship, the city added.

Still in use today, Erindale Community Hall is available by appointment only and can be rented for small gatherings, meetings, birthdays, workshops and other similar events. Upper level capacity is 40 to 80 people while the lower level can accommodate 12 to 30 people.