Tag: Melbourne

  • A new Greek Centre on the Yarra

    A new Greek Centre on the Yarra

    The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) is pleased to announce a plan that will not only contribute to the development of the site at Bulleen, but will financially strengthen the GCM and create new facilities and services for all Greeks in Melbourne. The Plan focuses on the Community’s core activities and services and brings together organizations from across Melbourne in a landmark development called “Greek Centre on the Yarra».

    “The Plan is visionary and testament to the hard work of my fellow Board members, “ said GCM president Bill Papastergiadis of the Proposal. “The Plan resolves the significant difficulties associated with the Bulleen site and will create a space for Greek organisations to call home. The Plan compliments the work of the GCM in its CBD Centre and across its broad program of activity.”

    The Plan is to:
    1. Secure the removal of the onerous overlays on close to 2.6 hectares of the site. This is something that the GCM has been working on for almost two years with specialist consultants.
    2. Sell 1/6th of the site for $11 million to a developer brought forward by consultants who plan to build housing onsite.
    3. Collaborate with Government on the creation of wetlands on the flood prone and hence unusable part of the land. The earthworks and landscaping necessary estimated to cost $2 million dollars will be paid for by the developer and Government. The ongoing maintenance of this land will be the responsibility of Government.
    4. Partner with an appropriate organisation on the development of the GCM retained part of the site, for the construction of an iconic Greek Centre on the Yarra as conceptualised by one of Australia’s leading architects, Billy Kavellaris of KUD architects.

    This new Centre will house: 
    a. Aged Care facilities 
    b. Education facilities allowing the GCM to bring together a number of campuses in the region and save up to $100,000 per annum in rent
    c. Community meeting, gallery and function spaces that will offer a tangible location for community organisations to call home with spaces to meet, celebrate and exhibit their archives and collections.
    d. Retail spaces for a café and or restaurant
    e. On the balance of the GCM land that remains under a flood zone, the plan is to construct sporting fields that are in much demand by local clubs and schools. These are of little impact to the construction of the Centre.
    5. It is important to stress the financial considerations for the GCM associated with this plan. As proposed, the GCM will net approximately $10m from the sale, receive an ongoing profit share from the Aged Care facility once operational, receive rental from the retail outlets and from the sporting field and save close to $100,000 annually from school rentals that will no longer need to be paid. Furthermore, with regard to the construction of the new building, a joint venture with a third party will be sought to fund the construction.

    According to Mr. Papastergiadis the development of the Bulleen site has being a constant request raised with him by many community leaders. “Create a space for us to meet and keep our archives, then we will invest in it’ is constantly said to me” says Papastergiadis. “Not only we are creating a space which is needed by the community, but the project adds so much more to the social and cultural fabric of the community in Victoria. We will work with all of the key stakeholders to ensure that the needs of Greek Australians are appropriately met. This project along with the acclaimed 15 level Greek Centre in the CBD now defines Melbourne as the global Hellenic HQ.”

    “The Board’s proposal is an ideal solution to a perennial dilemma with respect to the development of the old Bulleen Drive-In site that has preoccupied the Greek Community for 30 years,” said the General Secretary of the organisation Costas Markos. “This multifaceted project will provide a cultural and educational infrastructure to accommodate the wealth of creativity within our community. The addition of an aged care facility will assist immensely to the current lack of facilities and services for the elderly within our community. The Board of the GCM strongly believes that the proposal will be adopted unanimously by the GCM members and will also be embraced by other Greek organisations.”

    The GCM’s Vice President Nikolaos Koukouvitakis pointed out “that this is a dream coming true for the community… we have a unique opportunity to develop Bulleen. This is a project for all Greeks and the whole community must support it.”

    Theo Markos, GCM’s Vice President and Education Coordinator, said: “As an active member of the GCM since the early 80s, I am familiar with the site and its problematic history. For the first time in 30 years, the circumstances are such that will allow us to constructively use this piece of land in a way that will benefit the entire community. Voting in favor of the proposal is the only way that will ensure the implementation of the future plans of our organization. “

    (www.greekcommunity.com.au)

  • 32nd Sister Cities Festival is on

    32nd Sister Cities Festival is on

    ΟμογένειαThessaloniki Association in Victoria ‘The White Tower’ at 27 of November held its annual conjunction this year at Federation Square, celebrating the 32-year-strong relationship uniting Melbourne and Greece’s second-largest city.

    “This year we’re celebrating 32 years of Sister-City relationships, and as Melburnians from Thessaloniki we are proud of our Melbourne and at the same time never cease to remember our city of origin,” vice-president Christina Despoteris said.

    “Let us again celebrate our heritage, the cultures of both port cities, the ties that keep our peoples as defenders of freedom and the democratic way of life.”

    The association’s festival this year featured artists, musicians and dancers from Greece and Australia and included also many more stalls. 

    “The festival takes place not only to honour our beloved Thessaloniki but also to highlight the beauty of Melbourne, the city we have chosen to call home,” she added.

    “These entertainers, as well as many more artistic and cultural groups, will showcase the rich culture and traditions Greece is renowned for. Then the great White Tower will be surrounded by white flowers, a project which involved the whole Greek community of Melbourne and Athens. This is something not to be missed.”

    The festivities commenced in the centre of Melbourne (city square), with a parade of musicians and dancers who sang, danced and entertained the crowds along the route to Federation Square, where they performed on the main stage. Esteemed guests from both Greece and Australia spoke at the festival.

    Meanwhile, the association supported Monash Uni researcher Dr Mathew Staios’ efforts to raise money for research into providing accurate treatment options for individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease within the ageing Greek Australian community. 

    Mr Staios went from Melbourne to Canberra, starting on the day of the 32nd Sister-Cities Festival at Federation Square, over a period of eight days (approximately 750km) with his support team, to raise money for the ageing Greek Australian community on behalf of Alzheimer’s Australia.

    Further to the cultural happenings, attendees took part in drawing competitions, Greek dancing lessons or sample what a variety of traders have to offer. Food was, as always, one of the main attractions. This year the festival has taken on board the most mouth-watering souvlaki masters from Trojan Greek Food, the Cypriot Greek Grill, and Royal Catering gyros. Traditional desserts with a twist were available from Honey Dee, St Gerry’s, Taki’s Balls and Loukoumades. Procal Dairy yoghurt, Tornatoes‘ twisted potatoes, Kalloni little desserts island, Red Hill Marinade marinated lamb, Choo la la nuts and Greek coffee from Evan’s Café will also be waiting by the River Terrace, down the stairs along the Yarra River.

    This year’s event has been made possible with the support of the City of Melbourne, the City of Thessaloniki, the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and the Victorian Multicultural Commission. Delphi Bank was the major commercial benefactor this year, while Neos Kosmos and the Greek Media Group: Ta Nea and Radio 3XY were media sponsors.

    (neoskosmos.com)

  • Alexander the Great: Pioneering Multiculturalism

    Alexander the Great: Pioneering Multiculturalism

    ΠολιτισμόςTo celebrate the 30th anniversary of its foundation, the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS), in collaboration with the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) and the Pan-Macedonian Association presents the musical concert “Alexander the Great: Pioneering Multiculturalism”.

    The concert will take place on Wednesday, October 26 at 8 pm in one of the world’s finest music halls, the Melbourne Recital Centre or “Elizabeth Murdoch Hall”. The hall is renowned for its architectural style and acoustic perfection.

    The music has been written specifically for this concert by the well-known Melbournian composer Christos Ioannidis. Some of Christos’ most popular compositions include the “Free Besieged”, “Massa Confusa”, “Syphonia Polyethnic” and “Southern Landscape”.

    The current piece sweeps a great narrative arc, celebrating Alexander the Great’s life and achievements in promoting the Hellenic ideals within a vast multicultural empire. An important theme of the concert is Alexander’s role in pioneering multiculturalism and nurturing an intermingling of Greek civilization, language and traditions with those of Asia.

    The music will be performed by the Camerata Chamber Orchestra, consisting of 23 musicians who are managed by one of Australia’s leading conductors and music educators, Douglas Heywood OAM.

    In 1995 Douglas was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to music education and community music and in 2013 he was named Hobson’s Bay Australia Day Citizen of the Year for “making an outstanding contribution to the artistic and cultural life of the city and services to the community of Hobsons Bay”.

    The soloists, nationally renowned baritone Adrian McEniery and the multi award-winning soprano Lauren Savrasov (Oldham), will be joined by the 52-member Camerata Chorus.

    A complimentary program will be distributed to all guests. This program will include lyrics to the songs and excerpts from the poetry that will be recited during the performance in both Greek and English.

    This is a unique opportunity to commemorate a great historical figure and to celebrate his vision of multiculturalism and harmony, a vision that is more relevant than ever to our own contemporary society.

    (www.greekcommunity.com.au)