The old Liverpool town hall was designed by local architect Herbert Gates to include an opera house/community hall/auditorium. The hall included a kitchen allowing it to be used for community dances and banquets. In 1984 the building was designated a Canadian National Historic Site.
No longer Liverpool's town hall, it has recently been restored and renovated, then reopened as a cultural centre and theatre, the Astor Theatre. The cultural centre includes display space for museum artefacts which will be rotated through various locations in Nova Scotia, Liverpool included.
When the Astor Theatre reopened in the old town hall after renovations and upgrades, the Queens County Advance was there to report on the happenings. Their story is reproduced in part below.
Below is the text from the CNHS plaque
Designed by Halifax architect Herbert E. Gates, this dignified town hall was constructed in 1901 1902. Such buildings were central to civic life across the country, providing accommodation for the growing number of services administered by local governments and reflecting the pride and community spirit of the municipalities they served. This town hall features restrained classical detailing and is distinguished by its wooden construction. Although wood was the characteristic building material of the Maritimes, it rarely was used on town halls of this scale in the 20th century.
Opening date set for
former Liverpool town hall
Brittany W. Verge
Published on April 23, 2015
New bathrooms, gallery space, offices, and a new entrance and box office for the Astor Theatre are all part of the new design for what will soon be a community hub for culture and arts.
The official opening for the building is set for June 21. Mayor Chris Clarke says that the details aren’t all hammered out yet but the Region of Queens Municipality is aiming to have a week of activities at the hall leading up to Privateer Days.
“We want to get people excited going there,” says Clarke.
The new hall will showcase Mi’kmaq arts and culture. A lease agreement was signed on April 15 with Acadia First Nation. An office, a display area for Mi’kmaw artifacts, and wall space for art, are included in the lease.
Acadia First Nation (AFN) has also signed an agreement with the Museum of Natural History. The museum has a display of Mi’kmaw artifacts from the Mersey River and portions of that collection will be rotated through the AFN section of the former town hall.
Judy Boutilier, cultural officer for Acadia First Nation Medway area, says the group is very excited for the new space.
“We’re totally blown away by it,” says Boutilier. “I love the space, we’ve got a good sized office… we’ve got lots of gallery wall too.”
AFN is hosting Leonard Paul, a well-known Mi’kmaq artist for the opening on June 21.
“Leonard Paul is an internationally known Mi’kmaq artist and he will be opening some new work,” says Boutilier.
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Paul works with a variety of mediums in painting and drawing.
Later in the evening the Winds of Change Theatre Society will also take part in the opening. The society is one of several arts groups hoping to utilize the new space.
As a part of the society’s 40th anniversary, Winds of Change is doing a musical revue of theatre in Liverpool on stage at the Astor Theatre that night. The revue will showcase music from various productions throughout the past 40 years.
Read more at the Queens County Advance