Sherbrooke City Hall (1904)

Magnolia

Strathcona Square

Downtown Sherbrooke

Fifth town hall since 1852.

Indeed, it was after Sherbrooke was incorporated as a city in 1852 that a city hall, or a building prior to that function, was established. An administrative centre was first built on the current site, the Market Square of the time, that same year. In 1859, a building was added facing Frontenac Street, housing a public market on the ground floor. This building was demolished in 1902 to make way for Sherbrooke's third courthouse. From 1902 to 1905, the city hall was temporarily housed in the Brooks Building on Commercial Street (now Dufferin Street), across from the post office at the time (now the History Interpretation Centre building). From 1905 to 1923, the city hall was located in the Whiting Commercial Building, across from Strathcona Square. In 1923, a town hall was built at 145 Wellington Street North. This building, which now houses various City administrative services, was named Rodolphe-Langis in 1991 to commemorate this city councillor (1921-1935) who introduced the first effective accounting system while serving as chairman of the Finance Committee and who worked on the building's construction. The current City Hall was built between 1904 and 1906 as Sherbrooke's third courthouse and served until the construction of the current courthouse on King Street West in 1987. At the instigation of, among others, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society, the City of Sherbrooke purchased the building for $50,000, renovated it for $450,000 while respecting its historical character, and made it its fifth City Hall in 1989. The building was officially inaugurated in 1990. However, as early as 1977, the Ministry The Ministry of Cultural Affairs had recognized this building, constructed in Second Empire style according to the plans of the architect Elzéar Charest, as a cultural asset.