Nov 2018

#ThingsISaved/#ThingsIdidntSave – I might be the only one who knows what these are and why they’re here – if you’ve ever looked up in the food court at Coles in #AclandStreet, you’re looking at a #heritagecompromise, #rooftrusses from what was here before put back in a different spot as a kind of feature as part of the c2000 #AclandCourt shopping centre development,

They originally held up the roof of the Elite Roller Skating Rink, which opened in April 1911 in the extensive gardens of the mansion Oakrood, set well back along Barkly Street. In 1915, it became a cinema, the Barkly, until it was converted into a garage in 1923. It operated under different names until 1921, and was then reused as a market, and retained behind a 1930s development of shops on the corner and a #ColesVarietyStore all designed by #HarryNorris. The market kept going as #bricabrac in the 1980s and early 90s.

Then the whole lot was redeveloped as shops, supermarket (incl a Coles again!), carparking and apartments in top on c 1998. Thankfully keeping the old Coles building intact.

The development was very controversial, heralding money living into to St Kilda, and I remember representing the National Trust and complaining at the Panel about the carpark being visible from the street, albeit through mesh and tricksy features, and the Panelist scoffed, and said that it was ‘innovative architecture’ as encouraged by the planning scheme. That’s the worst bit.

There’s some ‘quirky’ tin sculptures presumably representing St Kilda hung below to liven it all up.

2026

The sculptures are gone.

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