Announcements
Happy 90th Birthday to the Hall.
It
has been about a decade since the Hall has been more actively offered
to the public for use and in that time our volunteers have worked hard
to maintain and improve it. Our
mission is to slowly renovate our treasured "Ancestral Home" and see it
used for its original purpose - as a meeting place for the Freemasons
who built it, and for the surrounding community. And although our
Centenary, our 100th year, approaches, we look to a future of seeing the
hall reach 200 years of age as a local treasure. We have become the
last of the Masonic Halls in inner city Melbourne still standing and in
operation (gone are 25 Collins St, the Club on Flinders St, North
Melbourne, Clifton Hill, Fitzroy, Richmond etc with Dallas Brooks Hall
demolished and replaced by Freemasons Melbourne which opened yesterday
on the same site). While Freemasons still meet in the CBD, they do that
in Clubs and facilities owned by others, and often in much newer
facilities; comfortable yes, but lacking the history and legacy of the
Collingwood Masonic Centre; and its community asset in the space offered
for use by the public which is known as Abbostford Hall.
Weddings, funerals, sales, workshops, community meetings and events have
been held at the Hall since it first opened in 1929, and today, all
these activities continue, but some have basically disappeared, like the
Union meetings once held there, and the local dances where so many of
our grandparents first met. However the community need for the hall is
perhaps higher than ever, and Freemasonry still attracts special men and
our lodges continue and offer a valuable historic framework for, while
many other Institutions have gone and evolved into organisations like
Men's Sheds - Freemasonry still offers a wide community for men working
full time, bringing up families and indeed the retired and also the old;
all together in Brotherhood unbound by political or religious or social
boundaries. Sixteen
years ago I became a Freemason, walking into the hall not yet knowing
that that meant, but it has been one of my best decisions and offered me
a principled way of life and friendship with some of the best men (and
women) I have ever met. I joined a group of Benevolent and Caring
Gentlemen, who have quietly supported each other and local groups like
Abbotsford Primary, Spensley St Primary, Collingwood College and the
Neighbourhood House not only with tens of thousands of dollars, but also
goodwill and well wishes. Statewide, few know we support the community
with millions of dollars each year, but also donate our time in and
outside Freemasonry to try to make others lives, and the world, a better
place. I realized how important that was, and stuck out the first few
years when I was trying to fathom what Freemasonry was really about,
and together with so many Brothers, worked on all sorts of projects,
but one of the closest to my heart is the Hall. Too many do not value
the work, effort and expense of our predecessors and are too quick to
put up a FOR SALE sign, take the money, and run to something easier for
their own comfort without thinking of the legacy they inherited or will
leave. An important part of that legacy began when the Foundation Stone of the “United Collingwood Masonic Temple” was laid on 27 Oct 1928 and the trowel used to lay the stone is pictured to the left. The
first Lodge Meeting held in the building was on 26 Nov 1929 so as we mark our
90th Year, we should start to keep in mind that starts the approach to
the Centenary of the Building’s operation. UGLV is on its third
(Collins St 1887, Dallas Brooks Hall
1969 – 2014; – lasted 45 years, and now 288 Victoria Pde same site –
Dedicated on 9 Nov 2019). Our Brick building is about to reach double
the age of
Dallas Brooks Hall did. May it long continue from this generation to the
next. Our goal for the Centre remains the same – to see it hit 200 years of age with Lodges operating in it, but perhaps we might start thinking of how we will mark our Centenary in 10 years? Thanks
to all who have supported us, Freemasons, their wives and partners and
family and to the public who have supported is via hire. We will work hard into the future to make sure generations in the future enjoy the same. Happy 90th Birthday to the Hall. For a history of the hall, see this web site. |
Hall Hire keeps keeping on..
It has been a long time since I posted to our announcements section. It has been a busy year. Today we had a book sale, in recent months workshops and lots of theater rehearsals with six weddings in the hall. There have certainly been a lot of joyous times had. We are so grateful to the users of the hall who support it. I was at a function there on 10 August, and one of the attendees who made a speech marveled at the precious and rare gem we have hidden in the inner suburbs of Melbourne. Our goal reminds to make the hall avaible to the public for hire and slowly renovate it. We recently did some roofing works and have recently had more discussions on what our next projects might be. Thanks also to our wonderful volunteers. Much quiet work goes on behind the scenes to make sure we carry forward the disappearing traditions and amenity of having a place to bring people together and have them develop and celebrate. On wards to our Centenary - it is getting closer in 2029 ! Only ten more years since it is a century since we first opened our doors. On wards and upwards ! |
Congratulations to Sinea & her fiancé
I've just got off the phone to Sinea who held a wonderful engagement party in our hall in Abbotsford on Saturday, surrounded by family and friends. We normally give early access to the hall at 10 am (or earlier if needed). This allows people holding events to setup in the morning and then return to the hall, showered and all glammed up. Wedding parties often take advantage of a three day hire Friday to Sunday, allowing them to setup Friday, get married on Saturday and then return on Sunday for a post wedding party and clean up. The three day wedding hire takes a lot of stress out of getting married on a prudent or restricted budget. We charge nothing like a licensed wedding venue and users can bring their own food and drink into the hall, sourced at supermarket rather than venue prices. |
Very Succesful Liqidation Sale
Going against the normal headwinds of retail, one of our users recently had one of their most successful liquidation sales. The hall has been used for many liquidation and stock sales, but in 2015 & 2016 with some very mixed results. Promotion is always they key, and we're happy to promote your sale in our announcements page, but your own mailing list can be a powerful draw and when employing it, users in 2017 were reporting much improved sales results in comparison to the year prior. |
Sat 28 Oct and Sat 18 Nov 2017
Due to cancellations, Sat 28 October and Saturday 18 Nov 2017 and surrounding days have just opened up for casual hall hire. Please contact us if interested in those dates and for any other inner Melbourne hall hire requirements. |
Hire space for multiple weeks in a row.
Our ideal booking sees our hall hired for multiple
days during business hours. Different venues have different operational styles and pace - our style is laid back, and our pace is timely... but we offer the rarest of things - the change to use our building during business hours for several weeks. Also unusually, we can normally accommodate a full set being left in the main hall, and certainly you can leave props and other things set up. Basically walk out at 5 or 6 pm, and walk straight back in and start again the next day without having to pack down every night.It is very common for hall hire of two to four weeks and that just the sort of booking we love. Our last booking was during business hours and went for seven days, the one before, the user hired the hall for 4 weeks. Such bookings fit the pattern of our use perfectly, and if you're a theatre producer or professional trainer or someone else looking to hire a space for a week, you will know how hard they are to find. Well, look no further ! |
New Wine Glasses
For smaller functions, we have ample plates and glasses, really there for our internal users, but also for hirer's use.
For larger functions, many use disposal plates and such, but most regular users who dine onsite tend to use the more civilized metal cutlery, china and glassware over disposable items. It's also more financially and environmentally sound.
We purchases some extra glasses which match our current stock. The main purpose of this page is to ensure we keep them uniform by providing purchasing details.
The original batch came from Unicorn Kitchenware on Victoria Street Richmond. That supplier is not carrying the particular wine glass at the moment... I was able to get the exact same wine glass from Chef Land at 286 Victoria Street Richmond. They cost $1.95 each
Saturday 11 March 2017
Due to a cancellation, this date has just opened up. We would love to hire the venue for that day or the whole weekend |
Apologies - Henry St and Gipps Street Intersection Works Oct-Nov 2016
All stakeholders please take note, we became aware on Friday 28 October of road works at the above intersection. This intersection abuts our property. Works are to commence this Monday, 31 October. Correspondence from the City of Yarra advises;TIME FRAME Works are programmed to commence on Monday 31 October and will be staged over a period of two weeks (weather dependent). ACCESS While the works are being undertaken, traffic management will be in place. The entrance to Henry Street till be closed during these works. Access to Henry Street will be via Langridge Street for this time, meaning Henry Street will temporarily become two-way. It is currently our intent to lodge a written complaint with the City of Yarra. |