Local Government Pictorial Timeline

1843Penrith District Council formed
187113th May Penrith Proclaimed a Municipality, James John Riley was elected the first Mayor
1881First Council Chambers erected on the corner of Henry & Evan Streets, architect David McBeath
1890
4th March		St Marys proclaimed a Municipality
1890
30th April 		Foundation stone laid for Electric light Station.
1890
5th May		Electricity generating plant came into use
1893
26th July		Mulgoa proclaimed a Municipality, Arthur Winborn Stephen was elected the first Mayor
1893
26th July		Castlereagh proclaimed a Municipality, A L Hough was elected Mayor
1926Old Council Chambers: photo shows Clyde Mitchell leaning on back of truck, to the right are Bert Field (deputy town clerk) and Ern Orth (town clerk). Joe Elliot (health inspector) on the white horse. Penrith Council had a truck similar to this one which was owned by Main Roads Board until about 1940. Jim Buckley (Heather Corr’s grandfather) drove the truck
1931
19th February		Penrith Council ceased to generate its own electricity – an end of over 40 years of power generation in Penrith
1948
6th May		Opening of Penrith Council’s free Library in the School of the Arts, Margaret Kinsella was librarian.
1952Additional council Office buildings, this building was relocated to land next to Penrith Council Chambers. The building was originally used to house aboriginal children from Darwin in WW2, out near St Thomas’ Church at Mulgoa. The right hand side of the building was used for general offices, and left hand side was the Town Clerk’s office.
Another secondhand building was erected at rear of this building a little later. Used by engineers dept. At the rear of these buildings were some open type sheds used for mechanical repairs of trucks, graders etc.
1959
10th November		Last Meeting held in the Council Chambers located at Evan and Henry Streets Penrith.
1959
24th November		First Meeting held in the then new Council Chambers located at Station and Henry Streets Penrith.
1959
14th November		Penrith proclaimed a City.
1963
25th October		Emu Plains transferred from Blue Mountains City Council to Penrith City Council.
1964
6th March		The ‘New’ Penrith City Council Library opened on the corner of Henry and Evan Streets, by the Hon E Wetherell, Minister for education.
1981Penrith Council Administration Centre in Henry Street opposite the TAFE opened to provide temporary additional accommodation until the Civic Centre was built, this building closed in December 1993.
1984The old RAAF Barracks site was purchased by the council for $1.725 million to build a new Civic Centre incorporating the Chambers administrative centre and library, pictured is the site before construction starts.
1991
November		Construction of the new Civic Centre started.
1993
7th December		Civic Centre opened for business, except for the library which opened on the 8th January 1994.More information on the Civic Centre
1993
December		Chambers located on the first floor of the Civic Centre were used for the first time.