Monday, July 29, 2013

former Warragul Playgroup Building

former Warragul Playgroup

I don't know much about this building at all but I pass it very often since it is on the way into Warragul off the second freeway exit. Signage in front of the building indicates that it was once the home of the Warragul Playgroup, a childminding centre I presume, but I am fairly sure that it is no longer used for that purpose.

former Warragul Playgroup

Lettering on the front edge of the awning reads 'Exhibition Hall' so I guess that is another former use. Sometimes when I've been going past there as been some activity in the building. I can recall a plant seller operating out of it for a few days and a bookseller at another time but theses occupations have been short-lived one-off events. It is 'on the wrong side of the tracks', so cut off by the Gippsland railway line, it is a bit of a hike from Warragul's commercial centre.

former Warragul Playgroup

Still, it is an attractive building and looks great in the afternoon sun against a blue sky. I suspect the pencil pines are part of the original planting since they are now taller than the building but they have been placed to reinforce the regular spacing of the windows.

Posted by David Thompson
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 29, 2013 at 11:59 PM

    What do we say in Australia? Not funeral parlour. Funeral home? A place for a funeral service. Whatever, that is what it looks like to me.

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    Replies
    1. David ThompsonJuly 30, 2013 at 6:59 AM

      Interesting Andrew. I don't see it like that at all but then I have passed it many times and the Playgroup sign is more prominent in real life than in my photos. I suspect that would have deflected any feelings that it was a funeral parlour.

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  2. HelsJuly 30, 2013 at 4:28 AM

    Don't you wish people placed ceremonial plaques on buildings, when they are opened? Then you would know who did the opening honours, who was the architect, who was the builder and what the building's original intended use was. Plus a date!!

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    Replies
    1. David ThompsonJuly 30, 2013 at 7:13 AM

      That would be brilliant Hels. Shows that people are proud of their buildings and that it is a 'big deal'. There is a great custom I noticed in Buenos Aires and Montevideo where the architect and sometimes the builder and year were put on the facade of the building. Not as much detail as a plaque or foundation stone but even some quite modest buildings had an architect name.

      Here's an example on the former Abasto Market (now a shopping centre) in Buenos Aires.

      http://artdecobuildings.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/abasto-shopping-buenos-aires.html

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