Residents of Noble Park celebrated the opening of their new public hall with a two-day carnival in July 1925.
According to the City of Greater Dandenong Heritage Study, the foundation stone had been laid to a great deal of fanfare by local nurseryman Cyril Everett Isaac who proclaimed that the steps taken to build such a hall were “fine evidence of public spirit”.
The opening celebrations extended over two days aimed at reducing the cost of the new facility.
Initially the new hall proposal had appeared impossible to finance but the council had been persuaded to borrow £2200 on behalf of the community, which meant that £200 per year had to be raised for the repayments.
To defray these costs the hall was leased to show pictures once a week and regular theme night dances held there proved to be extremely popular.
From its opening the hall became the hub of the suburb’s important events and activities.
It was the scene of a large and angry gathering to protest over the danger of the Noble Park railway crossing after yet another child was killed there in 1945. Threats were made to picket the train, and later that year a subway was constructed.
Returned servicemen were welcomed home to their community with flags, flowers, dancing, music and singing.
In 1948 a crowd of 400 was present at the unveiling of the WWII Honour Board, when there were just 600 houses in the township.
Between 1949 and 1952 Anglican services were held in the hall after fire destroyed St Aiden’s Church.
In 1961 it was used temporarily as quarters for the local high school until its own premises were opened.
A proposal by Springvale Council to take over the hall was vigorously fought off in 1970, and when extensions were required in 1979 they were financed by a co-operative and built by voluntary labour.
The rooms were named after long-standing chair of the hall trust, and former baker, Paddy O’Donoghue, who died in 1981.
