Archive

Gathering held for heritage designation of Hockley Historic Community Hall and Church

November 21, 2024   ·   3 Comments

By Joshua Drakes

Honouring the spirit and determination of the area’s first pioneers, the Hockley Historic Community Hall and Church have been officially recognized as heritage buildings.

In a dedication ceremony held on Sunday, Nov. 17, the Town of Mono celebrated the official designation of the Hockley Historic Community Hall and Church. Among those in attendance were Mono Mayor John Creelman and Adjala-Tosorontio Mayor Scott Anderson.

The ceremony took place inside the community hall, with guests and volunteers enjoying cake, tea and other refreshments within the well-maintained 130-year-old building. Speeches were kept brief, but all thanked the hard work of the hall and church director’s board and volunteers who made the day possible.

The event featured a record book containing documents pertaining to ownership of the hall and church, their history and the maintenance work that has gone into maintaining them.

Next door, the church’s back room was renovated into a small gallery, displaying original furniture, historical photos of the town and residents, and even an original sign for the building.

Janice Mason, leader of the church’s board of directors, celebrated the hard work of the team, which are all hands-on volunteers.

“The Hockley Historic Community Hall and Church operates with a working board of directors,” she said. “They manage the rentals, the maintenance and planning of all events for the community.”

Mono Mayor John Creelman congratulated the efforts to preserve and maintain the church and hall, noting the unique nature of still having them side by side.

“The fact that we have these two structures side by side is unique in and of itself,” he said. “We treasure these places, they preserve and promote community. They’re run by a very committed and dedicated board of volunteers, and that’s something that we greatly appreciate.”

He also praised the swiftness and cooperation between Mono’s Heritage Advisory Council and the Hockley Historic Community Hall and Church in proposing and passing the heritage designation.

“We have a very active heritage committee that has gone out and found places to acknowledge by way of designation or by way of placement on the heritage registry,” he said. “When the idea came up of designating them (the church and hall), we jumped at that, and I think the heritage committee jumped at the opportunity, as well.”

Preservation efforts extended beyond physical upkeep, focusing on preserving the historical knowledge of the site.

Creelman praised the efforts of the late Jack Brooksbank, a local resident who dedicated his time to researching the buildings.

“There was a gentleman by the name of Jack Brooksbank who lived in the hamlet, who has since passed,” he said. “But he did a lot of historical research into the history of Hockley and the history of these two buildings, so the committee was blessed to have the benefit of his research and work.”

The church itself was constructed in 1869, at which time it served as a Primitive Methodist Church. Its original years of activity ran from its date of construction to 1884, when it was closed down as the different Methodist branches merged into one, unified organization, which resulted in some churches being shuttered while others were combined.

The church would remain idle and unused until 1887, when it was decided by the combined Methodists of the Hockley area community, that it would be relocated to its present-day location in Hockley Village.

In the winter of 1887, witnesses watched as the church was sawed into four parts and transported by sled to its new foundation in Hockley Village, where it was reassembled.

The church would go on to hold Sunday services until 2016, at which point it was conveyed to the Hockley Historic Community Hall & Church by the United Church of Canada in 2018.

The Community Hall was constructed in 1894 by the Hockley Loyal Orange Lodge.

It was passed on to the Hockley & District Senior Citizens Club in 1976 where it was used as a community gathering place through the 1990s.

It was finally converted to the Hockley Historic Community Hall & Church in 2018, to whom it belongs today.

In 2024, the buildings were officially given the heritage designation status, which passed unanimously.

Barbara Jafelice, Chair of the Mono Heritage Advisory Committee, said that the reception to the proposal was universally positive.

“The Community Hall and Church was one of the properties that we chose to designate this year, in a very well written report,” she said. “We brought it through the Council. There was no argument,”

“Everybody thought that the property indeed was worthy of designation, and the community around the Hockley Hall has been very supportive.”

With their heritage status confirmed, the Hockley Historic Community Hall and Church plans to continue their work in preserving the buildings and history, as well as continuing to provide a community gathering place for guests.

Readers Comments (3)