It is ten years since the purchase of the New Office by Rotary Melbourne by Peter Rogers, President 2015-16
This month marks a decade since we settled on the new office at 15 Collins Street. This occurred on 8thSeptember 2015. Ten club member volunteers had been working around the clock on demolition enabling the renovations under the watchful eye of Barbara Yerondais the club architect.
This was not without drama. History records that “On the night of July 30th 2015, three volunteers from the club were clearing up debris in the unit, rolling up the old carpet etc when the sprinkler alarm went off and we called in for help from the MFB who promptly attended after our phone call at around 8pm”.
The decision to move the office came earlier on 18th February 2015. Peter Bearsley was the President and it was decided that in light of the inappropriate style of accommodation, lack of current usage, and the availability of more economic options, the club could no longer justify expenditure of $26,100pa (approximately $110 per member) on office rental at 3/12 Collins Street.
Momentum developed quickly and by end March a Fundraising team of ex Presidents comprising Connell, Glindemann, Weeks, Wang, Wittner, and Endersbee had met and started to map out a fundraising plan. By May 2015 pledges totaling $400,000 had been received.
I became President on 1st July 2015 and appointed David Jones Campaign Chairman. At this point the reality was we needed to raise $760k – including the necessary renovations. We had $460k promised. So the gap was $300k. Kevin Sheehan had identified the property and he and Peter Davis were acting pro bono to assist us with property conveyancing and legals.
Fundraising continued with the “All In” campaign to raise remaining funds.
On 29th August we moved out of 12 Collins Street after a new tenant was found by Kevin Sheehan and we moved the office temporarily into the Treasury Building – above the Coat of Arms - as guests of Richard Dent CEO of Leadership Victoria.
Finally we achieved settlement on 15 Collins Street on 8th September 2015 and moved into the new office on 10thOctober 2015. We had raised $522,574 from 161 member donations. Donations did not attract a tax deduction. Our office manager had been with us for nine years before the move, and now ten years in the new location. In reality she just moved across the street!
An article in RDU reported other landmarks for the Club that year including 29 new members, taking membership to 250. For the first time we reached 20% female membership. We introduced a new category of membership for under 40s.
Later in the year on 19th November, thanks to Bob Fels, Rotary International Preident John Germ officially opened the Office.
Tony Greenwood kept fighting to gain exemption from Stamp Duty on the grounds that we are a philanthropic organization, and churches are exempt. We did not win that one. The court ruled that out on the basis one of our goals is fellowship!
Certainly we had some fun acquiring our New Office!
Reference: Rotary Down Under, September 2016. https://rotaryclubcentralmelbourne.org.au/stories/a-big-year-for-melbourne-club
Peter Rogers
28 September 25
