Lions Village celebrates 20th anniversary

THE Lions Village Torquay has celebrated 20 years since the first residents moved into their homes.

Most of the village’s existing residents – including foundation residents Cec and Margaret Browning, both 96 – and a handful of special guests, including Surf Coast Shire mayor Libby Stapleton and councillor Adrian Schonfelder, marked the occasion with a gathering in the village centre on Friday last week.

Torquay Lions Club member Alan Young, who was part of the group at the club that initiated the project, said there was no facilities like the village in Torquay two decades ago.

“Now it is one of the most attractive and sought-after villages in the region.

“The Lions Village was the first such place in Torquay that enabled older people to live independently in a purpose-built facility.

“They didn’t have to leave their local community, and could maintain all their links with family, friends and neighbours.”

Incumbent Lions Club president Bill Ferguson said the club’s members who established the village – which began construction in August 2000 and had its first residents move into their houses in July 2003 – did a tremendous amount of work to build the facility at a greenfields site in Kooringa Place.

“The club continues to support the village with valuable management expertise.”

He also praised the Surf Coast Shire council for backing the Lions Club and the village at the time, including the council’s assistance with acquiring the site and facilitating finance.

Lions Village Torquay Inc. chair John McDonald said the village was now a vibrant and caring community, with so much friendly interaction between the residents.

“It’s easy to see why people like foundation residents Margaret and Cec Browning love living here,” Mr McDonald said.

“There’s always someone passing by to have a chat, and the beautiful gardens make it a pleasure to walk around.

“The location in central Torquay is so handy, and there’s plenty of social events for residents to enjoy.”

He said the village was now attracting people looking for a seachange or moving to Torquay to live near their adult children.

“No matter where new residents come from, they are always delighted with the warm welcome they get from the village community”.

The village will celebrate 20 years of residence with five other foundation residents over the next two years.