Eric Tolliday Units to get re-buff thanks to new BCH partnership

BELLARINE Community Health’s (BCH) newest partnership is set to reopen and renovate 16 vacant housing units at its Point Lonsdale site to cater to low-income seniors.

BCH announced on March 8 a new and exciting partnership with healthcare accommodation provider Sirovilla to help repurpose the vacant Eric Tolliday Units in Point Lonsdale.

Sirovilla, a trusted and established provider, operates two retirement villages across the region, one in Highton and the other in Anglesea.

BCH CEO Garry Ellis described the announcement as a great outcome for the local community.

“This partnership aligns with the aims and objectives of Bellarine Community Health to support the health and wellbeing of vulnerable communities on the Bellarine,” Mr Ellis said.

“We are really pleased to have a partnership that allows the reopening the Eric Tolliday Units to provide additional housing options for our communities.”

Sirovilla board chair, Dr Kate Kerkin, said the renovations will get underway within the next few months.

“We are very pleased to partner with Bellarine Community Health and to bring the Eric Tolliday Units back to life,” Dr Kerkin said.

“Each of the units will be given a refresh and we look forward to providing safe, secure and affordable housing for independent seniors in a community environment similar to our existing villages at Highton and Anglesea.”

BCH assured that the Sirovilla partnership would not impact current arrangements for the existing residents in the units.

The Sirovilla partnership follows BCH’s establishment of a Community Engagement Reference Group (CERG) to review potential models of operation for the units.

The BCH Board previously committed to reopen the units, but after reviewing the capital costs required for renovations, determined it was beyond the financial scope of BCH.

The CERG investigated several operational models and presented a discussion paper to the board recommending the affordable housing model as the most likely to meet community expectations for future use of the units.

It also suggested that BCH consider a partnership arrangement with another community retirement village provider.

The 16-unit village at Point Lonsdale will be named ‘Sirovilla Eric Tolliday Units’ in honour of Eric Tolliday, who gave over 30 years of service to the local community as treasurer of the Queenscliff and District Memorial Hospital Society and the Queenscliff and District Community Health Centre.

BCH will be holding a public information session at 5pm on Tuesday, March 29, at the Point Lonsdale Primary School Hall to aid with any queries regarding the units.

The hall is located at 29 Bowen Road, opposite the school. Parking is available near the hall.