St Peters Town Hall
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Downstairs |
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Upstairs |
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St Peters Town Hall is located at 39 Unwins Bridge Road, Sydenham. This venue includes a main hall (upstairs), a meeting room (downstairs), and the St Peters Library.
The 90-year-old building was restored to its former splendour in February 2009 when the ornate ceilings and woodwork were repaired, the interiors repainted in the original colour scheme, and the upstairs kitchen renovated.
Upstairs Hall
- Small hall for up to 110 for a meeting or informal gathering
- Hall size approximately 11 × 11m
- Kitchen with stove, sink and benches
- Tables (7) and chairs (80)
- Piano
- Whiteboard
- Close to public transport
- Parking
- Access via stairway
Downstairs Meeting Room
- Meeting room for up to 17 people
- Tables (4) and chairs (30)
- Carpeted
- Heaters
- Close to public transport
- Wheelchair Accessible via ramp at main entry
- Television and video player
- Whiteboard
- Tea and coffee making facilities
- Zip boiler
- Microwave oven
Parking
Available on the street.
Public Transport
Sydenham Station is a 2 minute walk away.
425 bus stops near the corner of Unwins Bridge Road and Railway Road at Sydenham.
357 and 422 buses stop near the corner of the Princes Highway and Railway Road at Sydenham.
Access
Wheelchair access to downstairs meeting room only.
Access to upstairs hall via stairs.
Keys available from Marrickville Council only. (library staff do not hold keys)
Contact
For booking enquiries please contact Marrickville Council Citizens' Service Centre on 9335 2222.
History
St Peters Town Hall was erected in 1927 and replaced an earlier town hall, which was located on the Princes Highway. The World War One memorial was removed from the original town hall and placed in the foyer. It contains several hundred names of people who fought in World War as well as the names of those who died.
The location of the new hall reflected a shift in the focus of the community of St Peters following 1919 boundary changes when the land between Unwins Bridge Road and the Illawarra Road was added to the St Peters Municipality.
St Peters was a separate Council prior to amalgamation with Petersham and Marrickville in 1949.
For several years after the Second World War (1939-45) St Peters Town Hall neighboured an intriguing relic of the conflict in the form of an air raid shelter. Marrickville Council sought tenders for its removal in 1969. There is also a memorial to those who fought in World War Two
St Peters Library opened on 3 December 1949 in the town hall. In 1986 the library renamed the St Peters/Sydenham Branch Library was relocated from the upstairs hall, downstairs to the main hall.
Political parties, cadet organisations and professional groups have all booked the town hall for functions over the years. Weddings, parties and Punch and Judy shows are just some of the social events which have featured in the town hall since the 1920s.
Opposite St Peters Town Hall is a large 4.5 hectare park known as Sydenham Green. This was where 150 houses were acquired and demolished by the Federal Government following the opening of the third runway and expansion of Sydney airport in the 1990s. St Peters/Sydenham Library currently holds a large collection focussing on the myriad issues associated with the opening of the third runway.
References:
- Marrickville: Rural outpost to inner city by Richard Cashman & Chrys Meader. Published by Hale & Iremonger, 1990.
- Marrickville: People and places by Richard Cashman, Chrys Meader & Anne Carolan. Published by Hale & Iremonger, 1994.
- Marrickville Council History & Archival Reference Centre Petersham Town Hall.
- The story of Petersham: 1793-1948 Compiled by Allan M. Shepherd. Published by Petersham Municipal Council, 1949.