Municipal Building

The Grand Falls Regional Municipality is dedicated to responding to the needs of its citizens to the best of its abilities and resources.

It operates primarily in the areas of administration, public works, public safety, parks and recreation, and economic development.

The old Grand Falls Post Office is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for reflecting the presence of the federal government in a small town.

The old Grand Falls Post Office is a good example of the post offices built in Canadian small towns between 1880 and 1920. It is a red-brick building in the Romanesque Revival style that was designed by the Department of Public Works Canada under the direction of chief architect David Ewart. Like the other post offices built during this period, The old Grand Falls Post Office was meant to be an emblem of the presence of the federal government in small municipalities.

The building opened in 1911 and, at that time, housed the post office on the ground floor and the customs office on the upper floor.

The old Grand Falls Post Office also has value in its later use by the municipality. The building housed the Town Hall from around 1960 to 1998 and the Grand Falls Museum.

source : https://www.historicplaces.ca

Incorporated in 1896, Grand Falls retains the minutes of the town first meeting, which began at that time. There has been some confusion about the exact year of incorporation, while some say it dates to 1890. The Act of Incorporation was accepted by the Legislative Assembly in 1890, but it was not proclaimed at that time. There was considerable opposition to the idea of incorporation, and consideration was even given to denying a plebiscite.

On July 29th, 1896, the proclamation was published in The Royal Gazette, and this is, therefore, the anniversary date on which the city can celebrate its centenary.

Note: The new Grand Falls Regional Municipality will be incorporated in the coming months.

The first of six very large minute book gives a clear description of the meeting of council (its first official meeting), on October 26th, 1896. The same book holds the minutes of all such meetings during the following years, until May 15th, 1924.

The format of the books is extra large: 11'' x 17.5'', twice the size of letter-sized paper.

The first page of Book One gives the result of the first election held on August 21st, 1896, all the members being elected without opposition.

Mayor:

Charles McCluskey

Councillors:

George W. Day

James Burgess, Jr.

Frank Goudreau

James Watson

Albert A Dixon

J.B. Chouinard, M.D.

Assessors:

John R. Wade, M.D.

Patrick A. McCluskey

James P. Kelley

A total of $260 was voted on the new town for various immediate expenses, including the Town Clerk's salary of $50 and $8.62 "for a stove for the council rooms".

Seven standing committees were appointed from Council members. It was then moved "that the Streets Committee be authorized to expend the sum of sixty dollars on the sidewalks of the Town. Carried".

Born in 1821 in Altoney, Cumbercloddy Parish, County Derry, Ireland, he came to New Brunswick from Ireland at the age of 21 in 1842.

He worked as a tailor and was later appointed first superintendent of the Dominion Fish Hatchery at Rapides des Femmes. He continued in this position until his death in 1908 at the age of 87. He also acted as first jailor in Grand Falls.

He was active in the Agricultural Society and the Sons of Temperance, being secretary of both organizations.

He was not only elected mayor in 1896 but also served continuously from 1898 to 1904.

He is buried in the cemetery next to the Assumption Church.

source : Grand Falls Yesterdays - Margaret Marceau

The shield is the central part of a coat of arms. The Saint John river, which forms a cataract at Grand Falls, is represented by wavy bars, alternately white (for silver) and blue. This is depicted on an inverted V to symbolize the Falls and its precipitous gorge.

The Maliseet called Grand Falls chik-un-ik'-a-bik, meaning ''the destroyer place''. This meaning is emphasized in the shield by the addition of indentations on the sides of the pile. These also symbolize the many sawmills which were once numerous in and around Grand Falls.

On the left hand side of the shield, facing the viewer, is a sprig of potato plant (tuberum solanum) which symbolizes the Town's most important industry.

Balancing this symbol on the right hand side is a sprig of purple (villa cuculata), which is the floral symbol of New Brunswick adopted by the Province in 1936. In this fashion, Grand Falls indicates that it is a New Brunswick municipality.

The oar which occupies the central portion of the shield is referred to in the blazon as being a Maliseet oar because it conforms to several oars, or paddles, used by the Maliseets and Micmacs, as evidenced by paintings.

This symbol not only represents the original inhabitants, but also recalls the moving legend of Malabeam, who led a party of attacking Iroquois over the great falls, thereby saving her people and avenging the death of her father. This act of courage is further enhanced by the right hand side supporter of the shield, which is intended to represent Malabeam in Maliseet costume.

The left hand side supporter represents a soldier in the uniform of the 104th (New Brunswick) Regiment of Foot which played a vital role in the establishment of Grand Falls as a military post, as early as 1791.

The mural coronet is used extensively, in various forms, to denote a town or a city. In the case of Grand Falls, it also indicates that Grand Falls has been from earliest times, a military post of importance.

On the rim of the mural coronet, the ethnic origins of the early settlers are represented by their respective heraldic floral symbol: the French by the fleur de lys; the Scots by the thistle; the Irish by the shamrock, and the English by the rose. Canada is symbolized by its national emblem, the red maple leaf.

The motto, COR UNUM, can be translated from the latin as: WITH ONE HEART. It is a call for all citizens to work in harmony for the continued progress and development of Grand Falls.

Grand Falls' coat of arms is a graphic depiction of its history, of the mighty river which gave it its name, of its early settlers, of its industry, past and present, as well as of its regional and national location. The beautiful and simple motto ties the whole.

Robert Pichette, FRSA, FHSC