"importance of York should quickly outgrow the accommodation of the building. In time it was sure to become too small…". Use as council chambers The minutes of the first council meeting held in the new chambers in August 1897 state: "Before the business of the meeting was proceeded with, the Mayor Mr Dinsdale welcomed the Councillors to the new Chambers and expressed a hope that the town would advance sufficiently to warrant the erection of a Town Hall at a future date. The new building however would suit their requirements for the present". The council moved out of this building when the new York Town Hall and Chambers were completed in 1911. Fire station The property was advertised for sale in 1912 and acquired by William Thomas Davies, a member of the Municipal Council. At this time the property contained the main brick building of three rooms and back verandah with stables, harness room and toilet to the rear. The York Volunteer Fire Brigade that had been formed in 1910, moved into the building in October 1912. The Prunster family was instrumental in the relocation to the new premises, and also led a very successful football team. Joseph Herman Prunster was an original member who later served as captain of the Fire Brigade for seven years. Initially the Fire Station was rented from Davies at a cost of 25 pence per week, before the building was purchased in 1914 by the WA Fire Brigades Board for £700. The Fire Brigade firstly erected a garage for their vehicle, which was built onto the former mayor’s office. They recessed into a horizontal rendered band the words "Fire Station" on the front of this extension, which can be seen clearly from Avon Terrace. The front room was converted to a bedroom, allowing the station to be manned at night. In 1921, a reel house was added to the north side of the building at a cost of £150 to house the water hose cart. In 1928, the first motorised fire engine arrived, a T-model Ford referred to as "Motor 36". This in turn was replaced in 1941 by a new motor pump number 17, also a T-model Ford. This required enlargement of the engine room and the back wall was removed and extended back several feet, probably by volunteer labour. Subsequent fire engines were a Dodge in the late 1940s, an Austin in