2006 onwards
Paddy O'Donoghue Centre
The opening of the Paddy O’Donoghue Centre on May 13th 2006 was a memorable occasion and well attended.
Official guests included the Hon. Tim Holding, Daniel Andrews, MP, and the Mayor of the City of Greater Dandenong, Peter Brown, other councillors, and the hall trustees, as well as representatives of each of the hiring groups and some of the general public. Mrs Olive O'Donoghue was invited to assist the Hon. Tim Holding in the official opening ceremony.
However for this to happen, legal action had to be pursued through the Supreme Court, at great expense! The Supreme Court judge spoke glowingly of the hindsight of those pioneers and said that he would only consider minute changes being made to the trust to allow the council to lease the area, however the trust must remain as the representatives of the owners of 18-34 Buckley Street, Noble Park – i.e. the residents of Noble Park.The changes allowed the trust to lease the land and buildings to council, and to allow for a 6th trustee, being a person appointed by the City of Greater Dandenong. The 6th trustee does not have to live within the specified area as set out in the trust deed and will be appointed for a 12 month term. The other change made to the deed allows for a trustee who has served 2 or more 5 year terms and who no longer resides within the boundaries as specified in the deed, to remain a trustee if he or she so desires.
All hirers moved out of the complex at the end of 2004 and demolition of the A J O’Donoghue hall occurred over the holiday period and the building then became a construction site for the next 16 months.
