THE BELLEVILLE FARMERS' MARKET

 EARLY DAYS

For more than a century, Belleville's City Hall has dominated the streetscape and housed the municipal government.

Constructed in 1883, five years before Belleville incorporated as a municipality, the orignal building boasted a farmers' market on the first floor and, on the second, a public hall, auditorium, municipal office and council chamber.

The 144' foot tower featured a clock visible from both east and west hills, a bell to summon firemen and policemen, and a weather vane to show which way the wind was blowing.

A pine flag pole rose a further 29 feet above the tower.

Since wooden flag poles kept breaking, a steel pole was substituted in 1912.

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After providing yeoman service for almost a century, City Hall fell into disrepair.  By 1970, the roof was leaking, window sills had rotted and falling bricks made life hazardous for tax-payers.

In 1986, architect Bill White and Bel-Con Engineering designed and undertook extensive structural work,  creating four floors were there had been two. These renovations added 10,000 square feet of floor space and featured a skylight illuminating all the floors.

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Of course, these improvements also meant that farmers would never again be allowed to conduct business inside City Hall!

Not to fear - the Farmers' Market has also been refurbished.

Local farmers, artisans and politicans are now handsomely accommodated to carry their traditions into the new millennium.