Salvation Army Hollywood Village

Statement of Significance

The Salvation Army Retirement Village has historic and social cultural heritage significance. For over 80 years the Army has had an association with the City of Nedlands. Education and care for the young, homeless and elderly are all important pastoral care concepts developed by the Salvation Army in Hollywood. The Salvation Anny Village today ( 1998) is a conglomeration of diverse buildings representing different time periods and architectural designs. This development has arisen as different needs are met. Therefore, though the architectmal properties have little heritage significance. the social heritage value is considerably high.

Physical Description

Salvation Army Hollywood Village: Up until the 1950s the site bounded by Smyth Road (west), Monash Avenue (north), Williams Road (east) and Karella Street (south) was dedicated to another sector of the Salvation Army pastoral care. Building by building. the sections were replaced with buildings for the Aged Community. Even now, many of the buildings constructed in the mid 1960s have been replaced. Much of the architectural work was undertaken by the finn Forbes and Fitzhardinge. The complex has several distinct building groups with a large number of sundry buildings. too disparate to describe in detail. Accommodation Units: These units are accessed from the Smyth Road and Monash Avenue frontages. The accommodation units are a cohesive complex of single and double storey units linked by a system of access ways and ramps to the lower floors which are below ground level. The units also have car ports and storage rooms. The buildings are constructed from medium blend red bricks with two-pitch roofs clad with orange terracotta Swiss pattern tiles and mission brown painted joinery. The group has a village ambience and is in the north west corner of the site. Village Nursing Home: This is a three storey building located roughly at the mid point of the site along the Monash Avenue frontage. Constmction involYed the use of projecting rendered concrete floor slabs with beige cement block infilling, and a low pitch orange terracotta Swiss pattern tiled roof. The building is a hospital for the complex.

History

In 1905 the Salvation Army began negotiations to acquire land for the construction of a Prison Gate Farm to house men who had been discharged from prison. This project was called the Karrakatta Prison Gate Fann and was opened in 1906. In 1918 this work was transferred to the Salvation Army property on the comer of Stirling Highway and Vincent Street, Nedlands (known today as 'The Rose Garden~ and from thence to Seaforth, Gosnells in 194 7, where accommodation was also provided for a number of socially disadvantaged men. The now Hollywood Village site then became the Nedlands Boys Home and in 1920 a school was operated alongside the Home. In many ways this was a special school and claimed to be the third school in the present city. It was preceeded by Nedlands Primary School in 1913 and Graylands Primary School in 1917. In 1936 when the Hollywood Primary school officially opened, the boys from the Salvation Army home attended the new school. When it became necessary to extend Seaforth, it was decided to build instead a modem Eventide Home on the North-East comer of the Hollywood property, then being used as part of the Subiaco/Nedlands Boys Home. On 7 May 1960 forty men were transferred from Seaforth to Eventide and on 14 May the official opening ceremony was conducted by the then Chief of Staff, Commissioner Dray of lliG, London. The completion of the Eventide Home and erection in 1962 of the hospital servicing the Home, left much unutilised land. A decision was made to erect a building to accommodate women over 60 and men over 65. The plan was to provide a well ventilated central area and this was achieved by the central courtyard located between the adjoining wings. Because the building design with its four wings resembles a Maltese Cross, it was decided that the building should be known as 'Crossleigh'. On the 26 June 1966 the building was officially opened. Although each self-contained unit had its own kitchen, provision was made as from 5 October, 1966 to supply a hot midday meal from the Eventide Mens Home Kitchen at a cost of 45 cents. In 1965 the Nedlands Boys Home changed to Hollywood Childrens Village. This change was facilitated by the transition from dormitory to cottage parent care. Four large 'cottages' able to accommodate 12 children were built and were opened by Premier David Brand on 3 July 1965. 1970 saw the opening of a 47 bed 'C' class hospital situated on Monash Avenue. Commissioner Frederick Harvey presided over the ceremony, giving mention that more of the Army's goal could be seen a short distance away where a third stage of flats were in progress (151 single and 18 double units). This was Wyvem. At the beginning of 1971 the Childrens Village had been placed under the care of the Senior Citizens Village Superintendent who had to oversee the care of the children. 'Elloura' (an aboriginal name for 'a resting place') 'Frail Aged' accommodation was officially opened on 9 June 1972 by Commissioner Frederick Harvey. In the late 1970s, amenities buildings for Eventide and Elloura were opened as a central place for Eventide and Elloura residents to meet for passive and active recreation. 1981 saw the opening of the new upper floor of the Village Hospital and on the same day the opening of flats in 'Centenninl Close' occurred. At the same time the Hollywood Childrens Village went through a transition period with the introduction of the Crossronds West programme. In 1995. owing to a generous donation by a past resident, the Crossroads West programme was transferred to a new 2.6 ha property in Lansdale. The Childrens Village in Hollywood was closed and in 1996 cottages No 13. 14 and 15 were demolished. Cottage No 16 known as 'Withnell' is the only remaining building of the Ned lands Boys Home.

Integrity/Authenticity

Compromised with many changes

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update