Professional Painters at Work at Gipps St Jan 2011

 

Since the departure of the Buddhists who used the South every Sunday and the slow erosion of the number of lodges meeting at Gipps St, the income to support the building has fallen. It is not just enough for a Committee of Management to pay the rates and effect any repairs, the building must be kept up to date in plant and presentation. They key ingredient beyond will and talent is cash flow, and it is to this the current Committee of Management will focus its attention.

Towards the end of 2010 the Committee of Management forwarded a submission to Grand Lodge and a combination of Grant and Loan was approved by Grand Lodge. These funds will be used in a staged building program. The completion of this program, which includes a lift in later stages, will be dependent on securing cash flow from non-masonic tenants.

Devotion Members lend a Hand

 

Much of the work at Gipps St requires professionals with appropriate insurance.  However there have been some small jobs Freemasons can do. One such task was removing the unsightly graffiti which we have been collecting on the side fence of Gipps St.

While it is not for Grand Lodge to “save Gipps St”, the funds GL have made available will facilitate Gipp St saving itself. In partnership, together our goal is to preserve and improved the building for current and future Freemasons. Contactors have been engaged and roof repairs completed. Problems with Emergency exist signs and lighting have been remedied and the South has been painted. Works have prioritised with the view of safety then creating a lettable space which will generate cash flow for subsequent works, remembering always that Gipps St is there to serve all tenant lodges as a meeting place.