Sprucing up Currie Park thanks to philanthropy

Seven of Currie Park’s units are getting a new lease of life thanks to three philanthropic foundations: the Danks Trust, Ian Rollo Currie Perpetual and the Marion and E H Flack Trust.

The units were built were in 1977 and were then considered to be model affordable housing of the time. Today the units are outdated and need to be brought up to age-friendly and dementia-friendly standard.

The renovation includes updating kitchens, installing new bathrooms, removing trip hazards and installing light fittings, curtains and repainting throughout the units.

“This is very exciting for the residents concerned because the work will make the units feel like new and be much more comfortable,” Hayley Stokes, Apartments Supervisor said.

The first two units have been refurbished allowing residents Ellen Doyle and Paul Taylor to return home and enjoy their new homes. For Ellen, the renovation has included a new stove which she has enjoyed ‘getting to know’ and is using regularly to bake scones and cakes, and the occasional roast.

The next two units, to be finished by Christmas, will see residents Gillian Coates and Keith White move out temporarily into the village apartments.

Sanctuary is how artist Gillian Coates described her home last year when she created an artwork especially for the village’s 150^th celebrations. The inspiration for the artwork came from an across OCAV villages’ program where residents were asked to answer in one word what home meant to them.

“When I go to Melbourne and I am heading back to Euroa, I can’t wait to get home to the peacefulness of this place. It is like a sanctuary for me,” said Gillian who moved into the village almost four years ago.

Gillian was inspired by the OCAV 150th logo, which features a tree-like symbol. The words, including sanctuary, security and safe, were painted onto leaves and then glued to the timber.

She says the artwork is a harmonious, abstract depiction of the peace and security which residents find at Currie Park. She used local rock and ceramic pieces to illustrate two roads. Each lead to Euroa, an Aboriginal word that means joyful, and from there to Currie Park.

For now, however, her road will be from her ‘home’ into her new apartment sanctuary, and back in time for Christmas.

Keith White moved into Currie Park from Mooroopna in the Goulburn Valley, and has never looked back. He says his health is better than ever and he puts that down to his involvement in the village’s edible community garden. Together with other residents, Keith spends time in the garden each day, aiming to support the kitchen and residents with a range of fresh produce.

With his temporary move into the apartments, he will be able to taste the fruits of his labours. As a serviced living apartment resident, he will enjoy daily, prepared meals – something he is looking forward to.

The unit upgrades follow work last year to update the village’s eight serviced living apartments in time for the 150^th anniversary festival in November. The day attracted hundreds of local people, many of whom took the opportunity to go on a tour of the village and see inside an apartment and unit.

OCAV has several serviced apartments available currently. For more information, please contact Karen Ernest on karene@ocav.com.au or (03) 9433 1100.