The Salvation Army Liverpool Walton - Official Opening of the New Building - 21st January 1989 - 7pm

Описание: The official video of the Opening Evening Celebration Concert of the current Salvation Army building for Liverpool Walton Corps.
The building was opened on Saturday 21st January 1989 by Commissioner Edward Read, Principle of the International College of Officers in London. The Opening Ceremony and Dedication & Thanksgiving Service was attended by over 400 people with standing room only.
A Celebration Festival followed the opening ceremony in the evening, again attended by over 400 people.

HISTORY OF THE SALVATION ARMY LIVERPOOL WALTON
(History Video Documentary on Liverpool Walton's official YouTube Channel...    • The Salvation Army Liverpool Walton - A Hi...  )

The Salvation Army Liverpool Walton was founded in March 1881. On Sunday March 27th 1881 Captain Josiah Parsons Taylor, aged 26, opened Salvation Army Corps No. 187, then known as 'Liverpool 2', and conducted the first worship meeting in a converted stable on Walton Road. Josiah married Captain Kate Watts in September 1881, who joined him as the second officers at the corps. The corps rented the former stable from 1881 until 1890 when they moved to a larger converted stable on Dane Street. The corps remained on Dane Street for 5 years and then moved back to Walton Road in 1895. Below is the only known photo of the original hall (the converted stable) on Walton Road. This photo was taken a few weeks before the hall was demolished in 1911 to make way for a new purpose-built building.

In 1911 the corps was able to purchase the land and demolished the old stable. Plans for a new hall were drawn up and the 'The Citadel' was built and then opened in 1915 costing £3,504 (£415,459 in todays money) The Citadel's worship hall was designed to seat 200 or 400 standing, and the YP Hall was designed to seat 100 or 200 standing. Additional rooms were added to the new buildings YP Hall in 1925 and an interior renovation took place in 1977.

The building on Walton Road became in need of repair because of age and repeated vandalism. A new building was first discussed in 1983 but it wasn't until 1987 that the plans for our current building had been finalised. Construction of the new building started on 12th October 1987 and completion was reached just over a year later in November 1988.

After 74 years of use, the last weekend in the Walton Road building took place on 14th and 15th January 1989. The building was then put up for sale. Many alternative uses were considered, even an application to turn the building into a nightclub. This application was declined in respect of the buildings history and the properties deeds stating that alcohol was not to be consumed on the premises. A carpet company later bought the site and briefly moved in.

Sadly, in April 1990, not too long after moving out of the building, it mysteriously burnt down. The building partially collapsed. It was later deemed unsalvageable and was demolished.

Once moved and settled at Cavendish Drive, our church went through a period of reidentification and over a space of time, adapted to the needs of our local community in our new location. A small community programme was started up in our building in the early 1990's which involved the establishment of a parent and toddler group once a week, a body and soul group and some other activities for children & youth and Over 60's. This all happened in our YP Hall and Lounge. Sunday Services also saw an increase in attendance. Over the remainder of the 1990's we realised our need to cater even more for our community as our community programme grew. As it grew, we came to the realisation that our building was no longer ideal for the number of people entering it throughout the week.

After a study into the needs of the community in the 2001, an extension was designed and added to the original build on Cavendish Drive. Building work commenced in 2004. It heavily altered the appearance of the building and more than doubled it in size. The extension contained facilities for the new Community Centre, built to host the ever growing community programme. These new facilities included, a new main entrance, reception and foyer, three new general purpose rooms, a second community hall, extra offices for the additional staff required to run the centre, a second and larger kitchen and an IT Suite. The original 1989 part of the building was also renovated at this time. This involved turning the main worship hall around from its original length ways, to its present width ways, dividing one of the original general purpose rooms into four smaller rooms, and giving the rest of the building a general facelift.

The newly extended building and community centre was opened in a dedication ceremony on July 2nd 2005 by Commissioners Keith and Pauline Banks.

As the corps continue into the new millennium, they are constantly adapting their programme for the local community.