IT is “business as usual” for Wattle Grove Retirement Village residents after developer of the facility Geoff Hart and his company Baragen ceased trading.
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On June 30 residents received an email from Mr Hart saying that his business no longer existed.
Initial shock at being “dumped” by the developer they trusted led a can-do attitude by the residents of the independent-living retirement village.
They banded together to form a committee with their first port of call being to seek advice on their rights and responsibilities in this situation.
Chairman of the Residents’ Committee Norm Scott said it was suggested to them that the best course of action would be to continue to trade.
The residents have continued to pay the weekly dues they had been paying to those running their retirement village into a new bank account.
This means that the funds are available to pay rates, bills on their community centre and security lighting and they were even able to rehire the handyman who was let go when Baragen ceased trading.
The residents each own their houses and have a 99-year lease on the land.
“Our accommodation is very, very safe, that we are sure of,” Mr Scott said.
While there is nothing ideal about the current situation, Mr Scott said the residents are handling it well and the committee approach appears to be working at present.
“We are getting out of a difficult situation,” Mr Scott said.
He anticipates another company will come in and purchase Wattle Grove as a complete package and in the meantime the committee will continue to ensure all bills are paid.
“We are reasonably comfortable at this point that this situation will resolve positively,” Mr Scott said.
He said they have received strong support from all areas including the council, insurance company and power and gas companies.
Billed as “offering a positive premium retirement community lifestyle once only available in the city” stage one of Wattle Grove hit the real estate market.
The villas were snapped up by people keen on the location of the facility and the lifestyle it afforded them.
There is always something happening at Wattle Grove from charity morning teas to resident outings. It is a vibrant complex with life breathed into it by the residents and no ownership change will affect this.
While the future is uncertain for Wattle Grove, what is certain is that this group of retirees are not sitting back doing nothing about the current situation - they have all pitched in to ensure Wattle Grove gets through this current predicament.
