NEW MARA HALL OPENS TUESDAY
The Daily Packet and Times
Monday, June 25, 1956
BRECHIN (Staff)—Mara Township’s brand-new municipal building will be unveiled to the public on Tuesday night when the official opening will take place here.
Built at a cost of about $35,000, the building will provide modern office accommodation for the township clerk Archie Newman, assessor, P.F. Clarke and a large room for the holding of Township Council meetings. The ground floor has been rented to the Ontario Provincial Police who will make it a detachment headquarters, and the Mara fire truck will be housed in a garage at one end. At present the police are locate at Beaverton but Brechin is more central to their district.
The new building wil replace the old Mara Township hall, located on No. 12 highway, a few miles west of Brechin. Part of the cost is being borne by Brechin itself and the balance is being financed by Mara Township which hopes to pay off the indebtedness in two or three years out of the general rate, without issuing debentures.
Tuesday’s ceremonies will include about an hours program and the hall will be open for public inspection from 7 to 10 p.m. Prime Minister Leslie M. Frost has been invited to attend, but it is not certain that he can fit the visit in with his busy schedule. Others who are expected to be present include Clayton Hodgson, M.P.P. and Dr. P. B. Rynard of Orillia formerly of Brechin.
Taking a leading part in the ceremony will be Reeve William Jackson and his township Council of Mara. This includes Ontario County Warden, Pat Duffy, the Mara Deputy Reeve. Other members are John McFayden, Erwin Cowie and Ted Tinsley.
Light refreshments will be served to the visitors at the close of the opening ceremony and the open house.
The new office building is located on Brechin’s main street. The building, constructed by W. A. Harvie Construction of Orillia, is 48 by 36 feet, of cement block with a stone front, and is two storeys in height.
Note: Thanks To Frances Laver