Abandoned places Melbourne: Whitehorse Council to demolish Silver Grove buildings

They were once treasured community hubs, now these empty Nunawading buildings will be demolished after vandals wreaked havoc.

The Nunawading Community Centre has been vandalised, with the local council now planning to demolish the building. Picture: Whitehorse Council

A community centre and senior citizens’ building in Nunawading will be demolished, after vandals and squatters wreaked havoc in the vacant buildings.

Whitehorse councillors agreed at their meeting on November 14 to allocate funding to bulldoze the Silver Grove Community Centre and Meals on Wheels/Senior Citizens Centre buildings.

The buildings have been vacant since the community groups relocated to the new Nunawading Community Hub in 2020.

According to a council report, the buildings have since been subject to vandalism and squatting, resulting in a fire risk and possible injury to unauthorised occupants.

The council will allocate $350,000 from the 2022/23 capital works program to undertake the immediate demolition of the buildings at the Silver Grove precinct.

Vandals have damaged the old community centre.

Another boarded up building in the precinct.

Eight smaller buildings in the precinct are in the planning stages for demolition with funding included in the 2022/23 budget.

All buildings have had their doors and windows hoarded up to discourage vandalism and break-ins.

According to the council report, after the relocation of community groups to the newly developed Nunawading Community Hub in September 2020, the various buildings in the Silver Grove precinct, near the corner of Maroondah Highway and Springvale Rd, have been mostly vacant.

The Community Centre building was used briefly by Working for Victoria, and as a Covid testing station, with The Meals on Wheels/Senior Citizens Centre leased until the end of October 2022 by the Department of Health for a drive-through Covid testing centre.

Papers scattered down a hallway.

It was also being used for Performing Arts Centre storage during the construction of the Whitehorse Performing Arts Centre, but an alternative site is now being used.

“The significant cost of ongoing repairs and maintenance for these buildings is increasing due to the escalation of vandalism incidents at the site,” the report said.

The current estimated cost to repair and restore the Community Centre building for community use is more than $1m.

“Demolition of these buildings is considered the best option for financial sustainability and risk mitigation control.”

Cr Prue Cutts said while it was sad for the community to say goodbye to some of the buildings, it was appropriate they be demolished.

“In terms of risk mitigation, financial sustainability and efficient asset management this is the right course of action,” she said.

No decision on the future use of the Silver Grove precinct, which is next to Nunawading train station, has been made by the council, but there is no current or planned future use for the buildings.