▁Water lo o ▁Municipal ▁Council ▁first ▁met ▁in ▁the ▁hall ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁August ▁ 1 8 8 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁a ▁' So cial ▁Hall ' ▁was ▁commission ed ▁and ▁built ▁to ▁the ▁rear ▁of ▁the ▁existing ▁hall , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁un ve iled ▁by ▁Mayor ▁Dun ning ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁an ▁air - raid ▁shelter ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁hall , ▁and ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁few ▁surv iving ▁examples ▁left ▁in ▁Sydney . ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁William ▁McK ell , ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁NS W ▁O pp osition ▁and ▁the ▁local ▁MP ▁for ▁Red fern , ▁gave ▁a ▁policy ▁speech ▁launch ing ▁his ▁campaign ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁state ▁election ▁at ▁the ▁town ▁hall . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁M ck ell ▁announced ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁ret ire ▁as ▁Premier ▁and ▁from ▁politics ▁at ▁the ▁town ▁hall . ▁ ▁Later ▁history ▁Following ▁the ▁am alg am ation ▁of ▁Water lo o ▁into ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Sydney ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁the ▁hall ▁continued ▁its ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁social ▁ven ue ▁and ▁community ▁centre ▁and ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁Sydney ▁Municip ality ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁following ▁a ▁boundary ▁change . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁South ▁Sydney ▁Council ▁made ▁the ▁town ▁hall ▁a ▁library