Long-time Gahan in Prahran

People

2 Dec 08 @ 06:56am by Kate Bruce-Rosser

Cr Chris Gahan. <a href=https://trans.hiragana.jp/ruby/https://web.archive.org/web/20120304223056/http://stonnington-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/long-time-gahan/"http://www.newsphotos.com.au" title="N23MP800">N23MP800</a>

Cr Chris Gahan. <a href="http://www.newsphotos.com.au" title="N23MP800">N23MP800</a>

RETIRING councillor Chris Gahan firmly believes there’s no place like home.

Four generations of Gahans have lived in Stonnington and he has dedicated decades to the city.

“You can be born in it, you can live in it, you can be educated in it, you can work in it. The only thing you can’t do in Stonnington is be buried,” he said.

The father of four, 67, reflected on his local government career, including his first stint in Prahran Council in 1963, aged 21. “Basically (I was there) because of my father (George Gahan),” he said.

“It was a conservative council. There were 12 councillors, but he was by himself. Whenever he put up something, he couldn’t get a seconder.”

The young Gahan lasted two months before he was removed for an alleged administrative breach. But he returned from 1966 to 1972, and again in 1979 until Malvern and Prahran councils amalgamated in 1994.

“Prahran would probably have been better off if we’d gone down to Port Phillip, but that’s water under the bridge,” he said. “(In) Malvern ... you looked after yourself. It wasn’t service-based like Prahran.”

Stonnington Council spent a lot of time and money bringing Malvern services “up to scratch”, he said.

The three-time mayor is most proud of Prahran’s Chris Gahan Centre for senior citizens. He laid the foundation stone and Gahan Sr opened it.

Recent highlights included securing State Government funding for the new Prahran Library, opening in May, and getting up the new Phoenix Park children’s “hub”.

“The only thing we’re lacking now is a bit of open space,” Mr Gahan said.

A full-time councillor since retiring from the Department of Agriculture in 2001, he plans to steer clear of future council issues, but will keep busy in community roles with the Prahran Neighbourhood House and Migrant Resource Centre.

Comments

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Darren Room writes:
Posted on 23 Dec 10 at 07:25pm: As a Senior who regularly uses the Chris Gahan Centre, it is so impressive to find a member of the Council who took, and even in retirement now takes, an interest in the welfare and needs of the older folks in the City. The splendid services the City of Stonnington continues to provide for the elderly has much to do with the zeal of Chris Gahan, and his father, so I am told, who led in this effort too. Chris continues, as a Senior, tto attend lfunctions at the Centre named in his honor. That he knows so many folk by name and is friendly to all marks Chris Gahan as a most remarkably committed and genuine man.
Paul Gahan writes:
Posted on 7 Feb 09 at 11:31pm: Thank you for your comments Graeme.
I was on Prahran Council in the 70's and in that time council commissioned a "history" to be written by L J Blake. The Gahan family (my father and Chris) were used as major informants at the time.
Council decided not to go ahead with the publication.
Probably a very good decision.
I take my hat off to Chris for his unstinting dedication to the welfare of the ratepayers of the city of Prahran/Stonnington over a record time.
However, for my rates, I think the council made a very good decision in 1972 in not limiting the historical reference to such a narrow view.
Good to hear that you are still active and about.
regards
Paul Gahan.
Graeme Rodda - Prahran writes:
Posted on 3 Dec 08 at 08:29pm: Congratulations on your tribute to one of the most outstanding Councillors that have ever graced either Malvern or Prahran Councils. As a 4th-generation and "lifetime Prahran boy", my family and I have had the pleasure of knowing many Councillors in both municipalities, ranging from Julius Pollack in Malvern (circa 1960's) and Norm Maxwell and Bill McMaster (Prahran, 1950's). One must say without any fear of contradiction that the service and devotion to public service exemplified by Chris and Joy Gahan, i is without peer in all of this time.
A strong Labor man, he served the public literally "without fear ot favour", and has been responsible for many positive initiatives in both Councils during his long period of service. The Stonnington Council and area are both much poorer for his retirenment, and I hope that the incoming Council pay due respect by commisioning a written history of those times, preferably collated by another famous local, historian Janet McCalman. One usually received accolades and "valedectories" at their funeral; however in this case his unique and unrivalled knowledge should certainly be recorded for posterity, and now.