Centre ‘to house 400’: Firms making way for new aged care facility

By Cherie Donnellan
AN AGED care centre is set to replace two industrial businesses on Torquay’s Grossmans Rd, according to a retirement village’s development manager.
Kithbrooke Park’s Rina Neustroski said the centre would help alleviate strain on “limited” aged care facilities in Torquay.
The Independent reported in May that 59 Park residents had petitioned Surf Coast Shire against “noise and dust emissions” and damaged roads from Grossmans Garden Supplies and Economix concrete plant, on the corner of Grossmans and Ghazeepore Rds.
Councillors voted at their June meeting to relocate both businesses by March 2013.
Ms Neustroski said the businesses’ move was “really important for the presentation of the (Kithbrooke) village”.
“We’ve got people continually moving into the village and an aged care facility is an appropriate nearby development.”
Ms Neustroski expected the centre to “eventually” house up to 400 residents.
“We have an ageing population in Torquay and we need to accommodate for that.”
The aged care centre would service new residents while “providing full support” to Kithbrooke Park occupants, Ms Neustroski said.
“While the village is independent living, (Kithbrooke residents) can have quite a good level of aged care service close to home.
“As specialised services are required for ageing residents, we’ll be able to provide them greater support once the centre is built.”
The design of the centre was yet to be determined but would likely be developed once the businesses vacated, Ms Neustoski said.
Former Surf Coast mayor and prominent landowner Keith Grossman confirmed the garden supplies business would move to West Coast Business Park on Surf Coast Hwy near Bunnings Warehouse “around February”.
He expected Economix to also secure a lot in the business park.