The Story of Dar Al Awda in Words and Pictures
About 1976, I worked at Brunswick and Coburg CES as an Employment Officer. During that time I had the opportunities to meet with all sorts of people, young, old, newly arrived migrants, professionals, employers, people looking for work, ex-prisoners and disabled. What attracted me the most was that our youth had no places to go or activities to be engaged in away from trouble. I thought I should do something. I had a vision and commitment. I was a strong believer. The long journey started with the first step I called a group of close friends and actually, I was visiting a family friend, and the idea was born. A community Centre for the all people.
Click the Link to download PDF The Story of Dar-Alawda in Pictures 3
I approached our local council for such facilities. The answer was that was nothing available and nothing will be available for permanent use. The hiring of facilities always comes with big costs, after many nightmares, sleepless nights and many contacts with major service providers, I received the same reply “nothing is available”. Finally I approached the Scout Movement, as I was a Scout Leader in Lebanon before I migrated to Australia. We met and they loved the idea, but we needed to merge with another group. In the beginning I didn’t have a choice but to accept the offer, start the process and training and registered the group.
While we were doing all this, the Commissioner of Hoadley area Jim Collingham, a great man, a local person who devoted all his spare time to help the youth and community, rang me one morning and told me that he had a hall for your group, but maybe not suitable . It hadn’t been used for many years and they were thinking of knocking it down.
I said to Jim, “let us meet and see the Hall”. We went there with a few people hadn’t “the Steering Committee” and Jim. It is hard to describe the building. We have some pictures and videos, it wasn’t suitable for anything. The challenge started from that moment. I said to Jim, “are you serious about this offer or is it a joke. Couldn’t you find us another building”. Jim responded, “Tony, I wish, if I had another one”.
I took a long breath and I said to Jim, “we will take it”. He asked me the same question “are you serious”, I said “yes yes”.
He shook my hand, gave me the keys and left. We didn’t waste any time, we started the same day – a group of people, a small group. We put our hands in our pocket first and turned on the electricity, we didn’t know where to start. But with people and ideas, it was a challenge from the start. The place was born. It needed a name. I told the Steering Committee, think of a name within a couple of days.
We met again in a few days after discussions the name of Al Awda was put by me and accepted unanimously by the rest.
Since we start in 1988, the Centre proceeded to the stages of renovations and landscaping which included the installations of central heating, the complete painting of the interior and exterior of the Centre, plastering of all the rooms, removing the asbestos roof and replacing it with color bond steel, installing new fencing and rewiring the building.
From 2007 on Ward constructed the volleyball/basketball/Netball outside the Centre .
Upgrade the male/female toilets, including all new fixtures and fittings
Update the kitchen
Build new front and side veranda
Replace the electric hot water with new gas hot water unit
Install Alarm/and surveillance systems
Replace the electricity meters
Replace all external and internal doors and windows
Install cooling and heating units
Replace most of the furniture including billiards and tennis tables
Finally the beauty of the Centre it’s very close to a very large park, A G Gillion oval , Clifton park, Gilpin park, Reaburn Reserve and West Brunswick tennis club.