The Sign will be out and the Balloons and streamers will be up:
Come and Join us to celebrate the 59th Anniversary of the opening of the Civic Hall at the Foyer this Thursday 20th August. Here Studio will be open as usual from 12-7pm and we encourage all the community to visit the foyer and view the 10 concepts as the consultants are preparing to narrow them down to 5 concepts during phase 2 of the Community Participatory Design Process. It is important to have your say so please participate.
You can view this amazing celebratory cake and at 5.00pm we will cut the cake and you can help us eat it and wash it down with a complementary drink to toast the Civic Hall’s past and it’s future service to the Community.
Image is owned by the Central Highlands Library
Thursday 20th August marks the 59th year of the opening of The Ballarat Civic Hall in 1956. The very same day the lock was turned for the very last time on the Alfred Hall (Now Big W) which was considered beyond repair and later demolished. A procession took place from the closure of the Alfred Hall to the opening of the magnificent Civic Hall. Mayor Callow led the procession.
Plans for the Civic Hall were formulated in 1939 but were unable to be implemented until after World War 11 due to financial constraints and manpower as the war consumed all resources. It is a great testimony to the strength and persistence of people of Ballarat that they did not give up and were determined to have a Civic Hall to replace the doomed Alfred Hall.
Long serving City of Ballarat Councillor, Herbert Leslie Coburn left a lasting legacy in Ballarat for his achievements on Council, teaching at the School of Mines and in his well respected Architectural business . His architectural prowess and vision led to the erection of many fine public and residential buildings in Ballarat and the Western District.
The Civic Hall was his Crowning Glory…unfortunately he did not live to see it open on the 20th August 1956, he was admitted to a hospital in Melbourne and died that same year in September.
We honour his memory and vow to save his wonderful Civic Hall!