Photo of Orange Parade taken from in front of Town Hall looking east down Main Street. Williams/Beaumont two storey brick house is on right. Photo courtesy of the Esquesing Historical Society. 

Background

As early as the 1950’s the building was in poor condition and ceased functioning as a Town Hall; for many years it was rented out for furniture storage. In the 1970’s a determined group of residents took on the mammoth task of restoring the building with the help of fundraising, grants, and volunteer labour. When the community re-opened the building as a Town Hall in 1976, Governance was informal. Every resident of the village was considered a member of the “board”; meetings were held in a New England town hall style and decisions were voted on by anyone in attendance at meetings.

Incorporation and Charitable Status

In 1981, the community decided to incorporate the Hall due to concerns over liability and insurance. In true village style much of the legal work was donated and on 12 November 1981, the Glen Williams Town Hall Inc. was incorporated in the Province of Ontario. The Hall achieved charitable status in 1983.

The governance model set forth in the deed drawn up by Charles Williams in 1871 was restored, with a Board of nine trustees elected annually by residents of the Glen.