Community fight to save Brunswick institution
A local resort for 87 years, it offers accommodation for young men, free after-school, weekend and holiday programs for hundreds of children a week, an affordable venue for birthday parties, a pool, basketball courts, table tennis and trampolines.
But now the Don Bosco Hostel and Youth Center in Brunswick could be lost to the community as locals fight to stop its closure ahead of its planned sale.
The Salesian Community of the Catholic Church is advertising the hostel and youth center on the corner of Sydney Road and Tinning Street for sale, with a view to “occupying or developing” it.
The Salesians’ property sale comes at a time when the order is struggling to shore up its finances after the Catholic Church has historically played a major role in the abuse of children. 20.9 percent The Salesians of Don Bosco were alleged to be the perpetrators at the time.
Jeremy Zylberberg has started a petition calling on Merri-bek City Council and the Victorian government to urgently work together to save the center of Don Bosco and keep it in the community.
“Families come from far beyond Brunswick for this because there are very few things like this for teens nearby that are free or low-cost,” the petition says. “If it closes, that gap will not be filled elsewhere; it will disappear.”
The petition, which garnered more than 2,000 signatures in two days, warns that many of the families who rely most on Don Bosco are those least able to afford the alternative.
“Do not let the Don Bosco Youth Center fall into the hands of developers,” the petition states.
Kate Longley is a single mother who lives around the corner from Don Bosco, and she’s been taking her children Jesse and Henrietta there since they were born.
“We started going to Don Bosco very early, when they couldn’t even jump on the trampoline, they were just crawling on the trampoline,” he said. “We just love the sense of community there, it’s free, you can feed the rabbits, you can play basketball outside, you can do air hockey and trampolines.”
Longley said some people who took their children to Don Bosco had gone there themselves as children and it was the first place they went when they immigrated to Australia.
“I live in an apartment, so I have a little more space [my kids] “It’s really important for me to tap into their energy,” he said. “I don’t have a big backyard and I’ll never have room for a trampoline. “I don’t know any other place like this.”
The property is listed for sale in the hands of Melbourne Purchasing Director Dominic Gibson as follows:
Two-storey brick building connected to each other on commercially zoned land of 2975 square meters.
It includes 30-room guesthouse accommodation, residential facilities, a commercial kitchen, chapel, indoor and outdoor recreation areas, function room, offices and a separate retail store.
Gibson did not respond to questions but said in a statement that Don Bosco is an “iconic Brunswick icon” suitable for users and developers alike.
“It is anticipated that the opportunity will attract and appeal to a wide range of groups, including education providers, religious communities, medical, food and beverage/accommodation, retail and lifestyle operators,” the statement said.
The Salesian Community also did not respond to questions but said in a statement that the decision to sell Don Bosco was made following a strategic review of its portfolio and that the property was identified as an “underutilized asset”.
Merri-bek City Council Mayor Nat Abboud said the council had not taken an official position on the sale of the Don Bosco Center or the petition calling on the council and government to save it.
“The council is aware the property is listed for sale and the community feels strongly about the center remaining open,” he said.
Labor candidate for Brunswick Gabe Steger said it was disappointing that the heritage-listed community site was up for sale.
“I will be deeply involved in Don Bosco’s future and am willing to work with and with the community to ensure its future is given the attention it deserves,” he said.
A Victorian government spokesman said the government was not funding Don Bosco and had not received a funding offer for it.
“The decision to sell the Don Bosco Youth Center and Hostel is their matter,” he said. “We have invested more than $7.2 million in scout halls and community facilities in Victoria and more than $1 million in youth centers across the state.”
Metro North Greens MP Anasina Gray-Barberio said Don Bosco was part of the fabric of Brunswick.
“This is where generations of local children have played, where young people have found a safe place to belong, and where families have made lifelong connections,” he said. “Losing this would be a devastating blow to our society.”
Gray-Barberio said Don Bosco is the definition of a third area; a place where people can come together, build relationships, and be part of a community without being expected to spend money.
“The speed and strength of the community’s response shows how important this place is,” he said. “Thousands of people have already signed petitions and spoken out because they know Don Bosco is not just a building, it is the cornerstone of community life in Brunswick. The Victorian government and Merri-bek Council urgently need to go around the table and explore every option to save Don Bosco.”
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