With its Aboriginal flag colours replaced by pristine white paint surfaces, the subtle 'designer-look' of the Charcoal Lane signage above the building's entrance, and the two BMW's out front, Gertrude Street definately seemed to have changed!
Did this mean that the only remnants of its Aboriginal history was this?
(Melbourne Aboriginal Youth, Sport and Recreation Club)
With its 'typical' local council selection of (acknowledged) Indigenous art out the front?
Having only gone by the clean external 'designer-look' of Charcoal Lane, and knowing nothing of the building's new role, I was wondering if - along with all the other non-Indigenous shops, galleries, restaurants and bars - Gertrude Street needed another smart new upmarket (I was basically thinking 'bourgeois & white') restaurant to replace VAHS?
It was with some indignation that I went back to visit the site (the building) I had chosen to observe for my course, but further investigation revealed a rather pleasant surprise...
Though there was one of those obligatory heritage plaques on the front of the building...
at least SOMETHING acknowledged the history of VAHS (now in a new building a little further than 'around the corner' in Nicholson Street - see: http://www.vahs.org.au).
And on entering the building I found more information that acknowledged the histories of Gertrude Street, Charcoal Lane and VAHS...
And also...
So, along with the (always-made-known) presence of the sponsors...
for those who wished to participate, the building still had some role in, and for, the Indigenous community!
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