VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS of Smoky Dawson Performance Centre Commencement Ceremony at Galstaun College - the Hamazkaine Armenian Day School in Sydney Australia...
SYDNEY: Over 500 members of the Sydney Armenian community attended a historic celebration at Galstaun College marking the commencement of construction of the Smoky Dawson Centre on Sunday.
Clergy, community leaders and representatives of all sister organisations attended the official Commencement Ceremony which featured performances by students of Galstaun College and the community's Saturday schools.
There were speeches from Vicken Kalloghlian on behalf of the Galstaun College Board, Principal Kaylar Michaelian, Head of College Carolyn Blanden, College Alumni representative Varant Jambazian and Homenetmen Regional Committee representative Martik Berberian, all of whom expressed joy at the realisation of a community dream.
They stressed that only the continuation of the united spirit displayed by those attending this Commencement Ceremony will ensure the Centre's long-term success.
Jim Bradshaw of the Terrey Hills Rotary Club and the Hon. Bronwyn Bishop MP (Federal Member for Mackellar) also spoke, paying tribute to Galstaun College and the Sydney Armenian community for affording such a fitting tribute to Australian icon Smoky Dawson.
Smoky Dawson Centre architect Shahe Simonian then led the gathered on a virtual tour of the proposed facility.
Simonian said: "The Smoky Dawson Centre will be a community facility, serving sporting associations, scouts, Saturday Schools, performing arts organisations and members of the community who wish to host large scale functions.
"The Centre will benefit the College students, teachers, parents and Alumni."
Following the official ceremony, all in attendance made their way to the site that would house the facility, where Archbishop Aghan Baliozian blessed the project and instructed the representatives of community organisation to turn the soil marking the official commencement of construction.
