Farewell after 54 years
February 2, 2024
Article and photo by Tim Bottams of the Ballarat Times
Article link: Seniors say farewell to clubroom
Photo: Sebastopol Senior Citizens members Anne Cue, Bev Lovett, and Ron Paterson have been at work clearing out the club’s meeting place.
MEMBERS of Sebastopol Senior Citizens said goodbye to their home of more than five decades this week following their relocation from the club’s meeting place on the corner of Vickers and Beverin streets.
Located at the site since 1979, the group held their final meeting at the location on Wednesday and are relocating to rented space at the BADAC facility on the corner of Beverin and Walker streets.
Club secretary Bev Lovett said there’s been a sombre atmosphere among members at losing their home.
“There’s a sense of sadness, because previous members raised so much money to build this building and it belonged to the seniors,” she said.
“For many of the older people, this place was their outing. The new place that replaces this one will be a big space with a learning centre as well, and we’ll just be tenants.”
The brown brick building was erected specifically for the club, with the clubrooms opened in 1979.
The prospect of moving on has not been a revelation for many members, who were told more than a decade ago by City of Ballarat staff the site was deemed unsafe due to movement at the site’s soil.
Members were notified late last year to vacate the building prior to the building’s demolishment which will make way for a community hub which the group expects to use once a week.
The club previously utilised the clubrooms with activities including indoor bowls, bingo, cards, and craft, while other groups like Girl Guides and Lions Club of Sebastopol and District also used the space.
Having been with the group for 15 years, treasurer Dawn Fischer said she has many cherished memories within the building’s decades-old walls.
“I’ve got other groups that meet here as well. I’d come with the seniors then meet with the Guides the next day so there’s a lot of happy memories,” she said.
“Many of us have been waiting for this for a while but it’s hard to realise it’s all coming to an end.”
Group members have been selling many items and furniture off since October, with a clearing sale to take place at their former clubrooms on Saturday 10 February from 10am.
“We’ve been packing madly to be out of here by February and a lot of our stuff we will not be able to bring with us,” Ms Lovett said.
