Grand opening of independent living apartments for Garden Village community celebrated

The grand opening of the Banksia Apartments were celebrated by Garden Village Community residents and dignitaries alike with MPs Pat Conaghan, David Gillespie, Leslie Williams and Port Macquarie-Hastings mayor Peta Pinson in attendance.

Garden Village resident Phyllis Goodwin, Site Manager at BESIX Watpac Jack Walton and Garden Village Retirement Living manager Sarah Ogilvie snipped the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the new independent living apartments.

Garden Village chair Andrew Walmsley thanked the Garden Village residents.

"The most important people here today are our residents," he said.

"Your support was vital for The Banksia to proceed, we are indebted to you especially to our residents that lived on the site where the building is.

It was their home and they gave it up for this project to proceed. We really want to thank you for that."

Garden Village also acknowledged the $5.2 million of funding from the federal government's Building Better Regions Fund that went towards the development.

The project achieved 7.8% Indigenous participation during the build with a majority of the contractors used being local to the Mid North Coast.

"Not only do these partnerships afford us the chance to once again to deliver world-leading ageing in place environments, but gives us the chance to deliver on our values and hold ourselves accountable for excellence," BESIX Watpac NSW Northern Region Manager, Amos Frankel said.

"I am truly proud of what our project team has achieved in the past 18 months and the close working relationship we have with Garden Village and our subcontractor."

The 35 new apartments are completely energy self-sufficient, with a 99kw Solar System installed consisting of 270 panels installed on the roof and a 303kw/h battery power storage system.

In addition, the Banksia apartments also feature generous common areas, treatment rooms, an outdoor courtyard and a large central skylight.