Eastwood was described in the Bible Christian magazine of August 1880, as ‘a rising township situated east of Adelaide. Several Bible Christian families had settled in the district and in 1879 a Sunday School commenced in a wooden building in Moar Street. The church’s memorial stones were laid on May 31st, 1880
The opening services in the new church were held on Sunday 15th August 1880 and for eighty years the social and spiritual life of many Eastwood residents centred on this little church. Known affectionately as the ‘Little Glory’ the church continued to serve the spiritual needs of the community until it closed its doors in early 1960.
It then served as a sheltered workshop, second hand furniture store and an interior decorating shop. In 1976 Burnside City Council voted to purchase the property, at the request of the Eastwood Residents’ Association specifically for use as a community centre.
The area of Burnside was first settled in 1839 by Peter Anderson, a Scottish distiller who established a farm with his family by Second Creek. He named the area Burnside using ‘burn’ the Scottish name for creek and ‘side’ based on his farm’s location.
In the early 20th century Burnside’s population greatly increased. Many areas of land that had been used for farming were sold off for housing. Suburbs closest to the city, such as Toorak Gardens and Dulwich were gazetted and made open to settlement. Today, the City of Burnside is made up of the historic villages of Beaumont, Glen Osmond, Burnside and Magill (formerly known as Makgill).
Eastwood, one of the oldest sub-divisions in the City of Burnside, is bounded by a triangle of major arterial roads and sits on the south-eastern side of the City of Adelaide. The suburb still contains a large proportion of early colonial houses which are virtually intact, and its location, integrity and boundaries accommodate an historical precinct that has potential for tourism. The historic village of Eastwood and Parkside is divided by the Great Eastern Road, now Glen Osmond Road, which forms the gateway into Adelaide from the eastern states.
Over the years the village has struggled to retain its unity and core, against the demand of its dissection by arterial roadways and every changing demands of businesses. The Eastwood area has experienced a resurgence in recent times with the gentrification of inner city living, the old cottage homes are being sold and refurbished bringing new families into the area. The new development in the Glenside precinct will see an increase in over 1000 dwellings bringing a new cohort into the Community Centre’s proximity.
The Eastwood Community Centre opened for business on 1st July 1978 under community direction. During the upcoming years community members met, developed and delivered programs and activities at the Centre. In 1989 the Centre was incorporated as a Not-for-Profit. Over the years the Centre has been supported by the City of Burnside, local businesses, service clubs and community members. The Centre was completely refurbished in 1993 with a commemorated plaque dedicated by the then Governor of South Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Dame Roma Mitchell AC DBE on 28th April 1994.
In the beginning the primary focus of the community centre was with young mothers, particularly with the connection to the Grove Kindergarten. After the appointment of the first Centre Co-ordinator the Centre programs and activities grew extended to broader family groups, young people, older senior members of the community. Engagement through utilisation of the community development model meant that community members were engaged in the development of programs and activities, with adult education, languages, cultural history important components.
Today the Centre is the hub of the community, with over 65 programs, activities, groups and an average of 2000 participants attending each month. The programs and activities which are offered at the Centre today, stem from community demand via our connection with community, our work with community service providers and local business within the broader region.
The diverse range of activities offered, ensure that people from the general public, people with a disability, parents and families, seniors, community members living with mental illness or are socially isolated, will find something that they can engage in – even as simple as a cuppa and a chat.
