The fa\u00e7ade of the Lorne Historical Society\u2019s rooms is to get a muchneeded facelift.<\/p>\n
As you come into Lorne, the current fa\u00e7ade is the drab, cedar wall with treated pine poles you see as you cross the Erskine River and turn into Mountjoy Parade.<\/p>\n
The only highlight on the fa\u00e7ade is a series of panels which were installed in around 2002, decorated with coloured handprints of children in the community as a community Arts Project.<\/p>\n
Now, with the financial support of Surf Coast Shire and the in-kind support of a lot of people in our community the fa\u00e7ade is to be upgraded, providing a more visually appealing experience as visitors and locals alike, enter town.<\/p>\n
About four years ago, the Surf Coast Shire carried out an extensive refurbishment of the interior of the Society\u2019s rooms, giving us a space more suitable for the current operations of the Society. Removal of a toilet and small storage rooms allowed us to create a space more suitable for themed exhibitions; the Society\u2019s current plan for exhibiting material from its extensive collection. Installation of air conditioning, a fresh coat of paint, repolished timber floors and an office for our computer equipment, made the space far more functional and visually appealing.<\/p>\n
Two years ago, the Committee turned its attention to the exterior fa\u00e7ade. Local architects Bob Sinclair and Chris Wood volunteered their expertise to design a new fa\u00e7ade which would transform the outside of the building and at the same
\ntime be achieved within a reasonable budget. The images accompanying this article show the current fa\u00e7ade and the
\nconceptual design for the new look. The key elements of the design are:
\n\u2022 Panels of timber battens fixed to the existing structure
\n\u2022 A large window providing opportunity for a look into the Society\u2019s display space
\n\u2022 A series of metal panels etched with historic photos from the Society\u2019s collection
\n\u2022 A new entrance
\n\u2022 As architect Chris Wood said, \u201cIt will be simple and dramatic. It\u2019s an exercise in carpentry\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Surf Coast Shire committed $50,000 to this project to be provided on a basis of matching dollar for dollar, in-kind contributions and donations from our community.<\/p>\n
This first significant contribution\u00a0 was from Barwon Timber who have donated all the timber to construct the panels and fixed the battens. That Timber\u00a0 is now stored at the Lorne & District Men\u2019s Shed. The Shedders are also a very significant contributor having volunteered their services to construct all the timber panels. The Society has carried out fundraising over the past two years and we have also been the beneficiary of some generous\u00a0 donations. Under the watchful eye of
\nBob Sinclair, the first panels are now under construction.<\/p>\n
Prior to commencement of construction, it is important that the community are informed of the proposed new look and to assist with that, a couple of panels will be placed on the fa\u00e7ade so that people can see what it will look like. This has been a
\ntrue partnership project with Surf Coast Shire, and Council will be providing more details to the community in the coming months.<\/p>\n
Peter Spring
\nVice President
\nLorne Historical Society<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The fa\u00e7ade of the Lorne Historical Society\u2019s rooms is to get a muchneeded facelift. As you come into Lorne, the current fa\u00e7ade is the drab, cedar wall with treated pine poles you see as you cross the Erskine River and turn into Mountjoy Parade. The only highlight on the fa\u00e7ade is a series of panels […]<\/p>\n