Currie Park kitchen makeover

Christmas has come early to Currie Park; OCAV’s village in Euroa and residents will get to enjoy the gift. Thanks to a grant from the Jack Brockhoff Foundation, the village’s community kitchen will be given a make-over.

The Foundation has given $4500 which will be used, along with OCAV resources, to make badly needed changes to the kitchen, which was built in 1995. Residents use the kitchen, in the community area, every day, and the funding boost will bring it up to a safer and more practical standard for all users. It will also become a more user-friendly area for people using a walker or wheelchair.

The kitchen upgrade includes:

· Replacing the urn with an instant hot water unit

· Replacing under-bench oven with a wall oven

· Replacing the louvered-door pantry with a larger integrated pantry

· Replacing a plastic table with an ergonomic island bench

· Introducing easy-slide deep drawers and overhead cupboards

· Integrating the fridge and microwave into the kitchen area.

Currie Park provides independent and assisted living for 30 ageing Victorians. The Park’s Community Room is the social hub of the village and its kitchen is in constant use throughout the week to provide refreshments for the many individuals and groups who use the space.

OCAV’s CEO Phillip Wohlers said the upgrade would not only enhance the safety and accessibility of the kitchen, but provide a warm and welcoming space where residents can socialise with others and host external meetings such as Probus and Vision Australia.

The Community room at Currie Park is the social hub of the village. From the kitchen refreshments are provided for the many activities that take place each week, including movie nights, art classes, morning teas, and craft and gardening club meetings. Residents looking to socialise and connect with others, or to borrow books from the library, which is housed in the area, use the community room and kitchen. Importantly, it is the setting for the residents’ Christmas dinner.

Currie Park residents are aged between 68 and 92 years and many are affected by arthritis and/or limited mobility. Soon moving around the community room kitchen will be made easier. Work is set to begin in the new year.