Council’s nod to town hall heritage with CBD car park naming

Narrabri Shire Council will acknowledge the heritage of the former Narrabri Town Hall through the official naming of the CBD car park situated at the corner of Doyle and Barwan Streets.

For many familiar with the old town hall, the site is known as the town hall car park. However, for generations since unfamiliar with the iconic building which was once located at the site it is often referred to as the TAFE car park.

Mayor Darrell Tiemens moved a mayoral minute granting the site an official name as the Town Hall Car Park.

Cr Tiemens, who said the matter had also been raised by members of the historical society, read information provided by local historian Max Pringle OAM.

“It would be a wonderful thing for us to actually acknowledge what a great building that laid there,” Cr Tiemens said.

“It’s a crying shame that it’s not still there.”

In Mr Pringle’s information, he noted that there had been a push to have a town hall built in the 1890s.

There had been initial opposition from aldermen, however, a referendum was held and the town hall received overwhelming community support.

In 1893, the town hall was constructed and opened by the Governor Sir Robert Duff. Local solicitor, alderman and mayor G.S.E. Dale had been a strong supporter of the facility’s development. His name appeared above the front entrance of the old town hall.

In 1930, the clock tower was constructed by the Narrabri District Soldiers’ Memorial Committee as a monument to those who died in World War I.

The town hall continued to serve as the centre for town life for several decades until it was condemned in the 1960s and demolished in January 1971. The town hall’s demolition was met with upset by the community. Elements of the old clock tower live on, with the Rotary Club of Narrabri constructing the current clock on Tibbereena Street.

A new civic centre was talked about for many years but didn’t eventuate until The Crossing Theatre’s construction near the turn of the century.

Cr Tiemens’ move to endorse the naming of the car park was praised by Cr Brett Dickinson.

“It’s sad that it’s become known as the TAFE car park. Probably because younger members of the community associate it as next to the TAFE rather than remembering or even knowing that the town hall was there,” Cr Dickinson said.

“It’s a great idea. I would like to know if we could have a photo … in the signage.”

Cr Tiemens responded saying the image suggestion would be a matter for the general manager and the council team.

Cr Ethan Towns acknowledged that as a younger local, he was unfamiliar with the site being home to the town hall. Cr Towns also praised the move to celebrate the facility’s history.

The mayoral minute was unanimously supported by councillors.