Victorian Pride Centre — Local services in Melbourne

This place is beautifully designed for everything except human engagement. The centre has the most extraordinary opportunities for broad based gathering and socialising, especially with its obvious blueprint for a busy bar and lounge at the back of the ground floor and a pumping licensed cafe at the front, yet seems to fear a daily influx of patrons, Friday night drinks and weekend entertainment. The rooftop must be the best known secret of potential mass gathering in Melbourne, but seems rarely used. The theatrette opens into the bar and could be used in any direction for any style of presentation, but it fails its purpose and considerable technical inventory with its carpeted interior and bland decor, forever limiting its use to something akin to a large TV room or funeral director's chapel. The community markets there are not suited to the downstairs area, which during the week could be mistaken for free office and meeting spaces for entrepreneurs and professionals, while the seemingly purpose-built community gathering space of the grand staircase stands conspicuously empty and pristine above. The gallery has had wonderful material displayed, but the walls and interiors of the centre seem better suited to attest to the integrity of its architectural design than to honour and represent the frenetic, diverse, busy and messy expression and outpourings of community. There are no opportunities here for community notice boards or postering, no syringe disposal units or opportunities for drug education despite its location in the middle of St Kilda's drug community, and the imposing front of the building seems more intent on keeping street people outside than welcoming and celebrating all segments of the queer and allied communities inside. The fault is not in the management of the place but instead lays with government and corporate sectors that can build such an edifice but fail to provide it the budget to make it viable, usable and lively. Overall the place feels more like a corporate convention centre than an engine room for community pride and queer innovation. It either loosens up and stretches itself to reflect the needs and make-up of the breathing, seething and moving reality of our community or it will atrophy and ossify into a museum piece celebrating a design moment that few of us care about and which will sour and spoil if the centre cannot support vibrant human habitation. Pride Centre Victoria might even learn from the scores of people on Fitzroy Street who nightly have the bigger challenge of sleeping unmolested on the street. Many stay close in small highly visible pavement dormitories formed to better protect regulars and their pets, even strangers—that is community action at its most basic and vital, well practised in the skills of survival under pressure, skills the centre might just need in...

I love this place and all it does. The lights can be a bit bright. There is a quiet room on the first floor (the floor above the mezzanine) which can be used as a sensory chill space or a prayer room.

There isn't any maps from what I could tell so it can be difficult to navigate however, what each door is for is clearly labelled (would have to double check about braille and font size). There are all gender bathrooms on the first floor too. There is the option of stairs or elevators.

As it is a shared public space, the noise level in the general area can vary but I've found it to be usually quiet, similar to a library. The main road outside however can be quite noisy with the trams and general traffic. Particularly, it's not uncommon to have motorbikes drive past.

For anyone who has sensory troubles, I recommend keeping headphones and sunglasses on hand if need be but especially when exiting the building. The doors are automatic and from memory do not...

I live in Fitzroy St and have been excited about the whole project but was very disappointed in visiting it today. The building is amazing but it is lifeless. The 2 folks on the FOH were very helpful and a delight. I was hoping to have a welcome coffee and breakfast in the proposed Coffee Shop, nothing. No exciting retail areas or atmosphere. Sorry but it should have opened with pizazz, first impressions are very important. Sorry to sound negative but it is necessary to create an area where people are excited about meeting at the new Pride Centre. A bar for the public to meet would be a great addition. I noticed that there is a sign for a rooftop bar but nothing working. Look, it is easy for me to be critical and I apologise for my review but a very disappointed visit. Hopefully, sooner than later , excitement will be a common place at the new Pride Centre. Good luck with...