86 | Avonlea Trust LIFESTYLE New villas in the works at Taumarunui T Kelly Deeks With its specialisation in aged care facilities, Wellington-based Bell Kelly Beaumont Team Architects has designed Avonlea’s new villas. 07 895 3379 or 027 403 6497 235 Echolands Road, RD4, Taumarunui 3994 Contact us for or all your earthmoving, excavation & civil construction requirements. Proud to be associated with Avonlea Trust Avonlea rest home and hospital is extending its continuum of care with the development of brand new villas now underway at its large and picturesque Taumarunui site. Avonlea has offered rest home and hospital care for many years. A former maternity hospital, the facilities were rebuilt in the mid 1970s. Operated by Avonlea Trust, the community rest home is one of very few accommodation options for the elderly of Taumarunui. “There is a definite need in the community, we don’t have anything like this in Taumarunui,” says Avonlea manager Anna Looby. “The only form of accommodation for the elderly, if they’re not renting, is pensioner flats,” Anna says. “Here the Trust is making a big investment into low maintenance, fit for purpose, modern homes with the backup and support of the rest home and hospital. “Residents can have as much or as little to do with us as they like. They can come to our day programmes and use our Meals on Wheels service.” Two duplexes are now under construction on one of the large, vacant areas to the side of Avonlea rest home and hospital, so four new homes will be ready for residents to move in within the next 12 months. With its specialisation in aged care facilities, Wellington-based Bell Kelly Beaumont Team Architects has designed Avonlea’s new villas, and earthworks and construction are being handled by the local Mike Collier Contracting and Max McKenzie respectively. “We have always maintained our work will go to the locals wherever possible,” Anna says. The new villas won’t be sold, but will be filled by residents holding a licence to occupy. Avonlea has done its homework and consulted with other retirement village operators who says this is the way forward for greatest success. Anna says Avonlea Trust has a very motivated and forward thinking board, which took another risk eight years ago by building a new wing on the facility, based on a business proposal prepared by Anna. “We never looked back,” she says. “It is a big risk to spend this kind of money, but we think the benefits are going to outweigh the risk.” The board is made up of community minded people with a lot of different skills and backgrounds, including farmers, business people, accountants, former district councillors. They see more development in Avonlea’s future, already thinking about an update to the front of the premises and the administration block. “There is always a lot going on,” Anna says. “We keep the residents informed about any developments or changes that are happening in the facility. “When we built the new wing on the rest home, there was a big window that looked out on to the development and the residents “Residents can have as much or as little to do with us as they like. They can come to our day programmes and use our Meals on Wheels service.” would vie for the prime seat next to the window where they could sit and watch the progress happening. “They realise our new villas are a positive thing for Avonlea. Because we’re rural and very isolated, that makes us more like a big family.” ∙ Residential ∙ Commercial ∙ Decorative ∙ Exposed Aggregate ∙ Coloured ∙ Natural ∙ Concrete Cutting MCP Concrete www.mcptaupo.co.nz | 794 Rakaunui Road, RD2 Taupo | Jasper 027 840 2222 | Norm 027 511 1166
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