A COMPLEX to house staff of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will have to be built next year to effectively facilitate rehabilitation of the City Hall building.The intention is to have the structure built in 1889 returned to its former glory.

City Hall boasts of a unique architectural design and is often described as “the most picturesque structure”, “the most handsome building in Georgetown”, and “one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the Caribbean”.

Although the M&CC is currently awaiting assistance from the European Union (EU) and other agencies, minor repair works are being done on the buildings covering the City Constabulary and Engineer’s Departments.

Speaking with this publication yesterday morning, Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green said the EU has promised to dispatch a team of consultants to do an assessment of what needs to be done on City Hall’s building.

She is confident that this task will be carried out in a timely manner next year because the M&CC has never had cause to distrust any agreements made with the EU thus far.

Though unable to estimate a figure for restoring City Hall’s building, Mayor Hamilton Green had also expressed optimism that the task will be completed next year.

Just recently, he told this newspaper that the EU and the Ministry of Finance have already signaled their readiness to assist with the restoration project.

“It is a very complex building. There is a lot of iron work to be done and a lot of work to be done on the roof as well. It’s a lot of work and so it will cost a lot, but I wouldn’t want to guess a figure,” he said.

He is also not sure if the skills to get the job done are available locally, but he said he envisions a completed project before the end of next year.

In 1995, the Government of Guyana had proposed City Hall as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The building was designed by architect Reverend Ignatius Scholes in 1887 and was completed in June 1889.

At 14:00hrs on December 23, 1887, Governor Henry Turner Irving laid the foundation stone for City Hall at the north-east corner of the main building, along with a glass jar containing original documents relating to the building.

City Hall was officially opened at 15:00hrs on July 1, 1889 by Governor-Viscount Gormanston. The Archbishop of British Guiana, William Piercy Austin, then blessed the structure.

The building has deteriorated significantly over the years and is in need of urgent repairs.

By Telesha Ramnarine