SITE preparation and demolition work began this week on a $3 million aged care construction project in Lavington.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The UPA community centre and regional office upgrade on Wagga Road will add to the 46 new homes built recently at the facility.
“What we’re doing now is developing the infrastructure to support the village,” UPA Murray River regional manager Tony Dunn said.
Mr Dunn said the property started as a children’s home more than 50 years ago before developing into an aged care precinct.
There are now 94 houses and a 60-bed hostel.
The present works, which will continue throughout the year, aim to make the facility more modern and create additional office space for staff members.
Another priority will be developing the facility’s entrance on Wagga Road.
“The street frontage here was always a bit confusing for people,” Mr Dunn said.
“It’s always been a little bit hotchpotch because of the way it was developed, so we’re taking the opportunity to really improve the street presence and the access.”
UPA Murray worked with Wodonga firm JWP Architects on the project while Premier Building and Construction was awarded the works contract in December.
JWP Architects director Leigh Rizzato said the new community centre would support a variety of activities for large and small groups.
“We’re trying to translate UPA’s ethos, really,” he said.
“Trying to be inclusive and provide a congregation point for all the residents.”
Mr Rizzato said an advantage of the facility was its position near Lavington’s business district.
“The challenge for us is dealing with that interface of having a degree of safety and privacy for the residents versus having that transparency and connection to the street and the shopping centre around it,” he said.
Construction manager Andrew Dean, of Premier Building and Construction, said the timing of works would fit in with the ongoing needs of the UPA residents during the year.
“There’s a lot of aged care people that live there and we’re trying to be respectful of that when we’re building out there,” Mr Dean said.
- More property: DOMAIN